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α-AMYLASE ACTIVITIES DURING SEED DEVELOPMENT AND GERMINATION IN PEA (PISUM SATIVUM L.) TREATED WITH SALICYLIC ACID

GHULAM MURTAZA¹ AND REHANA ASGHAR^2*

Abstract: The effects of salicylic acid on α-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) activities during seed development and germination in pea (Pisum sativum L.) were investigated. The crops were planted in split-split plot fashion following randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. The main plots were assigned to pea cultivars Climax, Meteor, Greenfeast and Rondo, with salicylic acid concentrations (0mM, 0.1mM and 0.01mM in water) as subplots and modes of application of salicylic acid (seed treatment; seed treatment plus foliar spray and foliar spray only) as sub-sub-plots. Samples were collected at phenological stages i.e., BBCH 73, BBCH 77, BBCH 83 and BBCH 88. The seeds obtained from the crop were used for germination experiment. The samples were collected at phenological stages BBCH 01, BBCH 03 and BBCH 05. Although a significant difference was recorded for varieties with respect to  α-amylase activity during year 2003-04 and 2004-05 at all phenological growth stages. A non-significant difference was found for salicylic acid concentrations and modes of application. However a significant difference in α-amylase activity was observed for salicylic acid concentrations during both years at all phenological growth stages for BBCH 01, BBCH 03 and BBCH 05.

¹Department of Botany, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad 13100, Pakistan.

 ²Department of Biotechnology, Mirpur University of Science and Technology (MUST), Mirpur, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan.

^*Correspondence author e-mail: rehanauaar@yahoo.com; Fax: +92-05827-961054