Morpho-physiological and biochemical attributes of Chili (Capsicum annum L.) genotypes grown under varying salinity levels

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 16; no. 11; p. e0257893
• Main Authors: Butt, Madiha, Sattar, Abdul, Abbas, Tahira, Hussain, Rashid, Ijaz, Muhammad, Sher, Ahmad, Shahzad, Umbreen, Ullah, Sami, Brestic, Marian, Zivcak, Marek, Gasparovic, Kristina, Aljuaid, Bandar S, El-Shehawi, Ahmed M, Zuan, Ali Tan Kee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 04.11.2021; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Agricultural research; Antioxidants; Biochemistry; Biology and Life Sciences; Capsicum; Capsicum - genetics; Capsicum - growth & development; Carbon dioxide; Catalase; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll - genetics; Climate change; College campuses; Environmental aspects; Enzymes; Food; Genotype; Genotypes; Glycine; Glycine betaine; Horticulture; Hot peppers; Impact damage; Jalapeno; Malondialdehyde; Malondialdehyde - metabolism; Morphology; Osmotic potential; Oxygen; Peroxidase; Peroxidase - genetics; Phosphorus; Photosynthesis; Physical Sciences; Physiological aspects; Physiology; Phytochemistry; Plant Leaves - genetics; Plant Leaves - growth & development; Potassium; Potassium - metabolism; Production processes; Reactive oxygen species; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Salinity; Salinity effects; Salinization; Salt stress (Botany); Salt Stress - genetics; Salt Tolerance - genetics; Sodium; Sodium - metabolism; Sodium chloride; Sodium Chloride - adverse effects; Soil salinity; Soils, Salts in; Stomata; Stomatal conductance; Superoxide dismutase; Superoxide Dismutase - genetics; Transpiration; Variance analysis; Water - chemistry; Water stress; Water use; Water use efficiency; Pakistan; Saudi Arabia; Slovakia
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257893

Climate change is causing soil salinization, resulting in huge crop losses throughout the world. Multiple physiological and biochemical pathways determine the ability of plants to tolerate salt stress. Chili (Capsicum annum L.) is a salt-susceptible crop; therefore, its growth and yield is negatively impacted by salinity. Irreversible damage at cell level and photo inhibition due to high production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and less CO2 availability caused by water stress is directly linked with salinity. A pot experiment was conducted to determine the impact of five NaCl salinity levels, i.e., 0,1.5, 3.0, 5.0 and 7.0 dS m-1 on growth, biochemical attributes and yield of two chili genotypes ('Plahi' and 'A-120'). Salinity stress significantly reduced fresh and dry weight, relative water contents, water use efficiency, leaf osmotic potential, glycine betaine (GB) contents, photosynthetic rate (A), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (Ci), and chlorophyll contents of tested genotypes. Salinity stress significantly enhanced malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and activities of the enzymatic antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD). In addition, increasing salinity levels significantly reduced the tissue phosphorus and potassium concentrations, while enhanced the tissue sodium and chloride concentrations. Genotype 'Plahi' had better growth and biochemical attributes compared to 'A-120'. Therefore, 'Plahi' is recommended for saline areas to improve chili production.