PJB-2023-424
H2O2 SEED PRIMING TO ALLEVIATE THE SALINITY EFFECT
WAFA SAIDI
Abstract
Salinity poses a significant constraint on sustainable agriculture leading to a reduction in crop production worldwide by negatively impacting various biochemical, physiological, and molecular functions. To investigate the potential role of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in alleviating salinity stress, we conducted a study on the seed-inducing effect of different concentrations of H2O2 (0, 50, 100 and 200 mM) on the resistance of tomato (Solanum lycopersicon) crops to salt stress. Throughout this study, we conducted an assessment to explore the eventuality of utilizing H2O2 in the preparation of tomato seeds, aiming to enhance seed sprouting, promote plant growth and induce salt stress tolerance. The soaked seeds were pre-germinated and cultivated in pots containing various saline soils (0, 40, 80 and 120 mM NaCl). Our findings unveiled the significant detrimental impact of salinity on tomato germination and seedling growth, highlighting the urgent need for effective measures to mitigate such effects. In vitro findings revealed a positive effect on the germination rate when using concentrations of 50 and 100 mM of H2O2 under salt stress conditions of 80 and 120 mM of NaCl. However, it should be noted that the higher concentration of 200 mM of H2O2 had a detrimental effect on the germination rate. In the pot experiment, the application of hydrogen peroxide resulted in a significant increase in tomato fresh weight, with a notable increase observed at 200 mM H2O2 compared to the control. When subjected to 80 mM NaCl, the concentrations of 50 and 100 mM of H2O2 exhibited the most significant effect on tomato fresh weight. These findings suggest that the treatments positively influenced membrane integrity. Overall, the results indicate a beneficial impact of the treatments on various properties measured under salt stress conditions. Furthermore, catalase activity displayed an increase when treated with 50 and 100 mM of H2O2, which was associated with an improvement in NaCl tolerance. These results highlight the potential of H2O2 in enhancing plant resilience to NaCl-induced stress, particularly during specific growth stages.
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