The effect of foliar application of cytokinin and salicylic acid on yield and physiological characteristics of sunflower under drought stress conditions

Document Type : scientific research article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Graduate of Crop Physiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

2 Corresponding Author, Professor, Dept. of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

3 Associate Prof., Dept. of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract

Background and Objective: Oil is one of the main food items needed by humans. More than 90% of oil in the country is supplied through imports. Sunflower is an oil seed that can be cultivated twice a year in Khuzestan. Drought stress reduces the relative water content , increases stomatal resistance, and as a result, the amount of photosynthesis ,oil and seed yield decreases. The goals of study were to recognize the effects of spraying of Cytokinin and Salicylic Acid, on Physiological, biochemical and Yield of Sunflower On Drought Stress.

Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted as split plot based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications in the experimental farm of the Department of plant production genetics, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, in the 2021-2022 cropping season . The main factor includes the irrigation cycle at three levels (8, 12, and 16 days) and the sub factor includes 5 hormone levels (without hormone, cytokinin hormone at two levels of 25 and 50 µmol/liter and salicylic acid at two levels 200 and 400µmol /liter).The oscar cultivar was used.

Results: The interaction of irrigation distance and hormone levels for all traits were significant at the 1% probability level. Increasing the irrigation cycle from 8 to 12 and 16 days decreases the rate of photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, leaf area index, greenness index and relative water content and increases antioxidant enzymes (catalase, peroxide and superoxide dismutase) and consequently Seed yield and seed oil yield decreased. Cytokinin and salicylic acid solution spraying in 16-day improved stress tolerance and ultimately an acceptable increase in seed and oil yield. So that the seed yield increased by 69, 72, 37 and 64% under the influence of cytokinin 25 and 50 µM/L and salicylic acid 200 and 400 mM/L respectively. Cytokinin 50 μM increased seed yield by 33, 16.5, and 72% and oil yield by 33.5, 19.5, and 50% under irrigation conditions of 8, 12, and 16 days, respectively.

Conclusion: Under stress conditions, seed and oil yields decrease, the reason for this is the decrease in leaf area index, leaf relative water content, average stomatal conductance, photosynthesis rate and chlorophyll index. With the increase of reactive oxygen species(Ros), the activity of catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase increases, the external application of cytokinin and salicylic acid in the form of foliar spraying on the aerial parts of sunflower plants increases the tolerance to drought and increasing the seed and oil yield in this plant, therefore, cytokinin and salicylic acid can be suggested as a solution to improve the yield of sunflower seeds and oil in drought conditions, although both hormones were useful, but cytokinin with The dose of 50 μM was more effective. By increasing the dose of cytokinin from 25 to 50 µM/L under severe stress conditions, it caused a decrease in oil percentage and grain yield. Although the effect of cytokinin has been better, due to the high price difference of cytokinin from salicylic acid, the use of both hormones is recommended to farmers in water shortage conditions by increasing the irrigation cycle instead of 8 days to 12 days.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

1.Yegorov, B., Turpurova, Т., Sharabaeva, E., & Bondar, Y. (2019). Prospects of using by-products of sunflower oil production in compound feed industry. Food Science and Technology, 13(1), 120-135.
2.Qayyum, A., Khan, S. U., Khan, S. A., Mehmood, A., Bibi, Y., Sher, A., & Jenks, M. (2017). Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Hybrids evaluation for oil quality and yield attributes under spring planting conditions of haripur. Planta Daninha, 35(2), 1-6.
3.Rahnama, A., James, R.A., Poustini, K., & Munns, R. (2010). Stomatal conductance as a screen for osmotic stress tolerance in durum wheat growing in saline soil. Functional Plant Biology,37, 255-263.
4.Bettaieb, I., Hamrouni-Sellami, I., Bourgou, S., Limam, F., & Marzouk, B. (2011). Drought effects on polyphenol composition and antioxidant activities in aerial parts of Salvia officinalis L. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, 33, 1103-1111.
5.Zandi, R., Rahnama, A., & Meskarbashi, M. (2024). Effects of deficit irrigation management on physiological and biochemical properties of two safflower cultivars. Applied Field Crops Research, 35(4), 24-1. [In Persian]
6.Izan, T., Javanmard, A., Shekari, F., Sabaghnia, N., & Amin abbasi, A. (2020). Evaluation of yield, yield components and some physiological traits of sunflower with integrative application of biological, chemical, and organic fertilizers under different irrigation levels. Journal of Agricultural Science and Sustainable Production, 30 (3), 87-111. [In Persian]
7.Valipour, M., Rahnama, A., Hassibi, P., & Monsefi, A. (2025). Evaluation of morphological traits and yield and yield components of oilseed flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) genotypes in response to deficit irrigation regimes. Environmental Stresses in Crop Sciences, 18(2), 263-281. [In Persian]
8.Osugi, A., & Sakakibara, H. (2015). How do plants respond to cytokinins and what is their importance?. BMC Biology, 13, 102.
9.Dodd, I. C. (2003). Hormonal interactions and stomatal responses. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation, 22, 32-46.
10.Brault, M., & Maldiney, R. (1999). Mechanisms of cytokinin action. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 37(5), 403-412.

11.Sarafraz Ardakani, M. R. (2018). Antioxidant responses induced by quintine and 24epibrasinosteroid treatments in three wheat cultivars during drought stress in grain filling stage. Plant Process and Function, 8(29), 327-314. [In Persian]

12.Sharma, R. R., & Singh, R. (2009). Gibberellic acid influences the production of malformed and button berries, and fruit yield and quality in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.). Scientia Horticulturae, 119(4), 430-433.

13.Heydari, A., Bijanzadeh, A., & Naderi, R. (2013). Effect of end-of-season drought stress and salicylic acid on seed yield and plant shading temperature in two canola cultivars. Crop Physiology, 7(27), 53-37. [In Persian]
14.Valentovic, P., Luxova, M., Kolarovic, L., & Gasparikova, O. (2006). Effect of osmotic stress on compatible solutes content, membrane stability and water relations in two maize cultivars. Plant, Soil and Environment, 52(4), 186-191.
15.Beers, R. F., & Sizer, I. W. (1952). A spectrophotometric method for measuring the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide by catalase. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 195(1), 133-140.
16.Nakano, Y., & Asada, K. (1981). Hydrogen peroxide is scavenged by ascorbate-specific peroxidase in spinach chloroplasts. Plant and Cell Physiology, 22(5), 867-880.
17.Dhindsa, R. S., Plumb-Dhindsa, P., & Thorpe, T. A. (1981). Leaf senescence: Correlated with increased levels of membrane permeability and lipid peroxidation, and decreased levels of superoxide dismutase and catalase. Journal of Experimental Botany, 32(126), 93-101.
18.Esendel, E., Kevesoglu, K. E., Ulsa, N., & Aytac, S. (2013). Performance of late autumn and spring planted safflower under limited environment. Proceedings Third International Safflower Conferance, Beijing, China, June, 14-18.
19.Hao, L., Guo, L., Li, R., Cheng, Y., Huang, L., Zhou, H., & Zheng, Y. (2019). Responses of photosynthesis to high temperature stress associated with changes in leaf structure and biochemistry of blueberry (Vacciniumcorymbosum L.). Scientia Horticulturae, 246 (2), 251-264.
20.Hamidou, F., Halilou, O., & Vadez, V. (2013). Assessment of groundnut under combined heat and drought stress. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science, 199(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1111/ j.1439-037X.2012.00518.x.
21.Jam, B. J., Shekari, F. A. R. I. D., Azimi, M. R., & Zangani, E. S. M. (2012). Effect of priming by salicylic acid on germination and seedling growth of safflower seeds under CaCl2 stress. International Journal of Agricultural Research, 2(12): 1097-1105.
22.Jameel, J., Anwar, T., Majeed, S., Qureshi, H., Siddiqi, E. H., Sana, S., Zaman, W., & Ali, H. M. (2024). Effect of salinity on growth and biochemical responses of brinjal varieties: implications for salt tolerance and antioxidant mechanisms. BMC Plant Biology, 24, 128.
23.Mohammed, A. R., & Tarpley, L. (2014). Differential response of two important Southern US rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars to high night temperature. Australian Journal of Crop Science, 8(2), 191-199.
24.Zhang, Y., Xu, S., Yang, S., & Chen, Y. (2015). Salicylic acid alleviates cadmiuminduced inhibition of growth and photosynthesis through upregulating antioxidant defense system in two melon cultivars (Cucumis melo). Protoplasma, 252(6), 911-92.
25.Nikolaeva, M. K., Maevskaya, S. N., Shugaev, A. G., & Bukhov, N. G. (2010). Effect of drought on chlorophyll content and antioxidant enzyme activities in leaves of three wheat cultivars varying in productivity. Russian Journal of Plant Physiology, 57(2), 87-95.
26.Zaheer, M. S., Raza, M. A. S., Saleem, M. F., Erinle, K. O., Iqbal, R., & Ahmad, S. (2019). Effect of rhizobacteria and cytokinins application on wheat growth and yield under normal vs drought conditions. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 50(20), 2521-2533.
27.Tesfay, K., Walker, S., & Tsubo, M. (2006). Radiation interception and radiation use eff-iciency of three grain legumes under water deficit conditions in semi-arid conditions. European Journal of Agronomy, 25 (2), 60-70.
28.Rezaei, A., Mohammadi Zinali, H., & Zali, A. 2018. Physiological responses of tolerant and sensitive canola cultivars to heat stress. Agricultural Plant Science. 50 (4), 89-98.
29.Zhao, W., Liu, L., Shen, Q., Yang, J., Han, X., Tian, F., & Wu, J. (2020). Effects of water stress on photosynthesis, yield and water use efficiency in winter wheat. Water, 12(8), 2127.
30.Ashraf, F., & Siddiqi, E. H. (2024). Mitigation of drought-induced stress in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) via foliar application of Jasmonic acid through the augmentation of growth, physiological, and biochemical attributes. BMC Plant Biology, 24(1), 1-16.
31.El-Tayeb, M. A. (2005). Response of barley gains to the interactive effect of salinity and salicylic. Plant Growth Regulation, 45(13), 215-225.
32.Agarwal, S., Sairam, R. K., Srivastava, G. C., & Meena, R. C. (2005). Changes in antioxidant enzymes activity and oxidative stress by abscisic acid and salicylic acid in wheat genotypes. Biologia Plantarum, 49(4), 541-550.
33.Nguyen, T. H., Goossens, A., & Lacchini, E. (2022). Jasmonate. A hormone of primary importance for plant metabolism. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 67, 102197.
34.Xie, Z., Jiang, D., Dai T., Jing, Q., & Cao, W. (2004). Effect of exogenous ABA and cytokinin on leaf photosynthesis and grain protein accumulation in wheat ears cultured in vitro. Plant Growth Regul. 44 (2), 25-32.
35.Ghaffari, H., Tadayon, M. R., Nadeem, M., Razmjoo, J., & Cheema, M. (2019). Foliage applications of jasmonic acid modulate the antioxidant defense under water deficit growth in sugar beet. Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research, 17, 0805-0805.
36.Maslenkova, L., Peeva, V., Stojnova, Z., & Popova, L. (2009). Salicylic acid-induced changes in photosystem II reactions in barley plants. Biotechnology & Biotechnological Equipment,23(1), 297-305.
37.Hayat, Q., Hayat, S., Irfan, M., & Ahmad, A. (2010). Effect of exogenous salicylic acid under changing environment: A review. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 68(3), 14-25.
38.Tas, S., & Tas, B. (2017). Some physiological responses of drought stress in wheat genotypes with different ploidity in Turkiye. World Journal of Agriculture Science, 3(2), 178-183.
39.Golchin, Tavakoli, Afshin, & Mohseni Fard. (2022). The effect of cytokinin application on photosynthesis, gas exchange and safflower seed yield (Carthamus tinctorius) under drought stress conditions. Iranian Journal of Field Crop Science, 53(1), 149-160. [In Persian]
40.Moller, I. M., Jensen, P. E., & Hansson, A. (2007). Oxidative modifications to cellular components in plant. Annual Review of Plant Biology, 58 (2), 459-481.
41.Kumara, K. G. D., Xia, Y., Zhu, Z., Basnayake, B. M. V. S., & Beneragama, C. K. (2010). Effects of exogenous salicylic acid on antioxidative enzyme activities and physiological characteristics in gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii L.) grown under NaCl stress. Journal of Zhejiang University China, 36(3) 591-601.
42.Dabbert, T. A., & Gore, M. A. (2014). Challenges and perspectives on improving heat and drought stress resilience in cotton. Journal of Cotton Science, 18(2), 393-409.
43.Rashidi, S., Abbas Dekht, H., Gholami, A., & Tawakkul Afshari, R. (2018). The effect of seed priming hormone in the field on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of deteriorated corn cultivars. Iranian Journal of Field Crop Science, 50(2), 133-144. [In Persian]
44.Omidinasab, D., Meskarbashee, M., & Rahnama, A. (2020). Evaluation of quantitative and qualitative traits of promising sunflower cultivars for plant nutrition, competition Intraspecies and water scarcity stress in the conditions of North Khuzestan. PhD thesis. 414 p.
45.Corleto, A. (2008). A note on safflower plant ideotype suitable for Mediterranean environments. Waga Waga Conference, 1-4. Retrieved from Journal of Experimental Botany, 66(16), 4999-5013.
46.Siddiqui, M. H., Al-Khaishany, M. Y., Al-Qutami, M. A., Al-Whaibi, M. H., Grover, A., Ali, H. M., & Al-Wahibi,
M. S. (2015). Morphological and physiological characterization of different genotypes of faba bean under heat stress. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 22(5), 656-663.
47.Roitsch, T., & Ehneb, R. (2000). Regulation of source/sink relations by cytokinins. Plant Growth Regulation, 32(2), 359-367.
48.Yang, J., Miao, W., & Chen, J. (2021). Roles of jasmonates and brassinosteroids in rice responses to high temperature stress–a review. The Crop Journal, 9 (5), 977-985.
49.Rabert, G. A., Rajasekar, M., & Manivannan, P. (2015). Triazole-induced drought stress amelioration on growth, yield, and pigments composition of Helianthus annuus L. (sunflower). International Multidisciplinary Research Journal, 5, 6-15.
50.Ullah, F., Bano, A., & Nosheen, A. (2012). Effects of plant growth regulators on growth and oil quality of canola (Brassica napus L.) under drought stress. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 44(6), 1873-1880.
51.Khajavi, M., Rahnama, A., Meskarbashi, M., Moosavi, S. A., & Harrison, M. T. (2024). Foliar application of cytokinin hormone on morphophysiological and yield traits of sunflower cultivars in late sowing date. Applied Field Crops Research, 36(1), 41-21. [In Persian]
52.Maleki, M., Ebrahimzade, H., Gholami, M., & Niknam, V. (2011). The efect of drought stress and exogenous abscisic acid on growth, protein content and antioxidative enzyme activity in sa_ron (Crocus sativus L.). African  Journal of Biotechnology, 10, 9068-9075.
53.Maherkh, Azizi, Sadeghi, Akram, & Karimi. (2019). The effect of Streptomyces bacteria application on grain yield and its components in Singlecross 260 corn under drought stress conditions. Seedling and Seed Crops, 27(2), 165-181.
54.Nouraein, M., Bakhtiarzadeh, R., Janmohammadi, M., Mohammadzadeh, M., & Sabaghnia, N. (2019). The effects of micronutrient and organic fertilizers on yield and growth characteristics of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Helia, 42 (71), 249-264.
55.Goodarzian Ghafarokhi, M., Maskerbashee, M & Rahnama, A. (2020). Evaluation of physiological characteristics and performance of safflower cultivars in response to salicylic acid foliar application and end-of-season heat stress. Iranian Journal of Plant Sciences, 51(3), 59-72. [In Persian]
56.Dawood, M. G., Sadak, S. M., & Hozayen, M. (2012). ̍hysiological role of salicylic acid in improving performance, yield and some biochemical aspects of sunflower plant grown under newly reclaimed sandy soil. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 6(4), 82-89.
Journal of Plant Production Research
Volume 32, Issue 3
September 2025
Pages 97-115

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics