Journal of Plant Process and Function

---

Salinity is considered as one of the main limiting factors for growth and production of several agricultural crops all over the world. Also, salinity influences the growth and also synthesis of secondary metabolites of medicinal plants. Salvia viridis and Salvia spinosa are two aromatic species which belong to Salvia genus from Lamiaceae family. As the mechanisms of salt stress tolerance and also the effect of salinity on growth and production of secondary metabolites in these two salvia species have not been studied yet, the effects of salt stress on growth parameters and the essential oil composition in these plants were analyzed. Seedlings of two mentioned species, two weeks after germination and growth, were grown at different levels of NaCl including: 0 (control), 20, 40, 60 and 80 mM NaCl at Hogland medium in a hydroponic system. After four weeks, later, the growth parameters such as: shoot and root dry weight, Na+ and K+ concentrations, the amount of proline and soluble sugars, were measured. Also, the essential oil composition was compared between control and salt stress in S. viridis. Results showed that, by increasing of salt stress levels, shoot and root dry weight of both species were decreased. Salt stress resulted in increasing of soluble sugars and proline concentrations in aerial parts of both species. However, this increase in S. spinosa was a little higher than other species. K+ content was also decreased by salt stress in both species although in S. spinosa this decrease was less than S. viridis. Salt stress resulted in increasing of some essential oil compounds such as: -pinene, -3-carene and linalool in S. viridis in compared to the control plants. It could be concluded that less sensitivity of S. spinosa to salt stress can be attributed to more accumulation of proline and soluble sugars and inhibition of K+ decreasing under salt stress in this species.

---

  Water deficit can be considered as one of the most important abiotic factors limiting plant function, which has also adverse affects on growth and production of medicinal plants. In this research, in order to evaluate the effects of water deficit stress on of Artemisia dracunculus plant, a completely randomized design with three replications was performed in greenhouse conditions. The experimental treatments were different levels of irrigation based on control (90% of field capacity), T1: 60% of field capacity and T2: 40% of field capacity. Four weeks after treatment, physiological and biochemical indices were measured. Results showed that, water deficit stress had significant effects on measured traits and the average value of some traits such as: fresh and dry weight, leaf area, relative water content and shoot length were decreased under stress in both A. dracunculus collections in compare to control plants. The least average value of these traits was observed in T2 plants. Analysis of biochemical data also showed that, enzyme activity of peroxidase, proline and soluble sugars contents and the specific activity of peroxidase were increased in both A. dracunculus collections under water stress condition. However, enzyme activity of catalase, content of photosynthetic pigments (chl a, chl b and carotenoides), soluble protein content and the specific activity of catalase were decreased under stress. As a conclusion, Irrigation level at 40% of field capacity can be considered as stress level for this plant. Furthermore, A. dracunculus can respond to water deficit stress by increasing of the contents of proline and soluble sugars and the activity of peroxidase as one of antioxidant enzymes.

---

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is a highly used as an edible and medicinal plant. As in some places of Zanjan province basil plant is cultured and contaminated by heavy metals, such as toxic cadmium metal, a research for analyzing Cd accumulation and its effects on some physiological and biochemical traits of this plant was performed. Seeds were cultured in plastic pots containing perlite and Hoagland’s culture medium in a hydroponic condition. After three weeks, plantlets with enough growth were treated by different concentrations of Cd including: 0 (control), 2, 4 and 8 mM for two weeks. Results showed that, root and shoot dry weight, root and shoot length as well as chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids contents and leaf area in all Cd treatments were decreased compared to the control plants. 8 mM Cd treatment showed the maximum decrease in all above traits. The content of soluble proteins, proline and soluble sugars of roots and shoots of treated plants increased at all Cd treatments compared to the control plants. The activity of catalase enzyme was decreased in roots and shoots of Cd treated plants. However; the activity of peroxidase was increased at all Cd treatments. The concentration of Cd in roots of treated plants was about three times higher than that of shoots at 8 mM Cd concentration. As a conclusion, basil plants showed a little tolerance against Cd heavy metal by increasing of their peroxidase activity, proline, soluble sugars and protein contents. However, they were not able to prevent Cd penetration to their roots and especially shoot contaminated them.

---

---

Water deficit is one of the most important stresses that has limiting effects on growth and crop productivity. One of the best methods for facing drought is seed priming with optimal concentrations of plant growth regulators. Salicylic acid (SA) is an important signal molecule modulating plant response to stress, which enhances tolerance to multiple stresses in plants, including drought. To analyze the effects of various concentrations of salicylic acid on some physiological and morphological traits as well as flower and fruit production of tomato, Riugerand variety, under water deficit conditions, a factorial experiment in a complete randomized design with three replications was carried out in the greenhouse. Six levels of salicylic acid (untreated seeds or control, zero SA or hydro-prim, 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 mM) and three levels of drought stress (including water holding at field capacity [FC] of pots and water stress at 70% and 50% FC) were used as experimental treatments. Results showed that priming with salicylic acid increased plant height, leaf area, relative water content, and chlorophyll index compared to untreated plants. However, drought stress drastically decreased all these measured traits. 500 mM SA led to an increase in the number of flowers and fruits per plant as compared to other water deficit treatments. Tomato fruit characteristics, including pH, Brix, and EC, were significantly increased by drought stress. However, the application of SA decreased these traits, especially at 500 mM which enhanced the quality of the fruit. In conclusion, seed priming with suitable concentrations of SA (500 to 1000 mM) can be used as an appropriate strategy for the improvement of growth and fruit parameters of tomatoes under water deficit conditions.

---

In order to study the effects of foliar application of nanoparticles (zinc and silicon) and putrescine on chlorophyll fluorescence indices, dry matter remobilization and the contribution of this process in grain yield of wheat under salinity stress, an experimental as factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications will be conducted in the research greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili in 2021. Factors experimentally included salinity at four levels (no salinity as control, salinity 40, 80 and 120 mM by NaCl), and foliar application of nanoparticles (Zn and Si) and putrescine at eight levels (foliar application with water as control, foliar application 50 mg.L-1 nano silicon, foliar application, 1 g.L-1 nano znic oxide, foliar application of putrescine, foliar application of nano Si-Zn oxide, foliar application of nano silicon and putrescine, foliar application of nano Zn oxide and putrescine, foliar application of nano Si-Zn oxide and putrescine). The results showed that foliar application of nanoparticles (Zn and Si) and putrescine under no salinity increased variable fluorescence (95.8%), maximum fluorescence (35.33%), quantum yield (42.24%), leaf area index (45.27%), flag leaf protein  (41.8%), total dry matter (44.09%), current photosynthesis (87.15%) and the contribution of current photosynthesis in grain yield (36.04%) and grain yield (37.34 %) compared to no foliar application of nanoparticles and putrescine under the highest salinity level. But the maximum dry matter remobilization from stem and shoot (37.8 and 38.15%, respectively) and the contribution of these processes to grain yield (89.45 and 90.22%, respectively) were obtained in no foliar application of nanoparticles and the putrescine under salinity 120 mM. It seems that nanoparticles and putrescine application can increase grain yield of wheat under salinity stress due to improving current photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence indices.

---

Most bulbous ornamental plants, like gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflora L.), need three long periods for the growth of their bulbs, which is a major challenge for their propagation. Determining the best hormonal composition for increasing the growth of corms is a major problematic process in the growth and propagation of gladiolus plants. For this purpose, a factorial test in a Completely Randomized Design was performed using three GA3 concentration levels (0, 100 and 200 mg/l) in addition to three concentration levels of BAP (0, 50 and 100 mg/l) for soaking the corms of two Gladiolus cultivars, White (white prosperity) and Red (cultivar, Red) with five replications at green house conditions. Corms, after soaking in different hormone solutions, were planted in plastic pots with an appropriate soil mixture. Pots were then put in a greenhouse under standard light and temperature conditions with a regular irrigation regime. Plant samples were harvested between 15 and 30 days after planting and were used for the analysis of some growth and propagation traits. According to the results, Hormone treatment with 100 mg/l GA3 without BAP for leaf length, root number and corm weight for both cultivars showed a great increase. Treatment with 100 mg/l BAP without GA3 resulted in the maximum value for leaf number in the white cultivar. Also, 50 mg/l BAP without GA treatment for corm number at both cultivars showed the best results. As a conclusion, appropriate hormonal concentrations of GA3 for growth parameters and BAP for propagation parameters could be suggested for gladiolus plant culture and propagation.