Enhancing salt stress tolerance of forage sorghum by foliar application of ortho-silicic acid
2024
Pankaj | Sarita Devi | Prakriti Dhaka | Gayatri Kumari | Satpal | Nita Lakra | Sunder S. Arya | Yogesh K. Ahlawat
Soil salinity poses a significant threat to global food security as salt-affected soils are expected to increase more under the influence of climate change. Sorghum is the world's 5th most important cereal crop and is moderately salt tolerant. Salt stress causes osmotic stress in sorghum and induces several physiological changes, such as membrane disruption, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, nutrient imbalance, decreased photosynthetic activity, and decreased stomatal aperture. This research focused on minimizing the detrimental effects of soil salinity on crop productivity by exploring the potential of ortho-silicic acid (OSA) as a mitigating agent for salt stress and analyzing its impact on growth, physiological and biochemical attributes. A pot experiment was performed under control and 4, 6, and 8 dS·m−1 NaCl with OSA concentrations of 1.5 and 2.5 mg·L−1. Results indicated that OSA application improved growth attributes, including fresh weight, plant height, dry weight, and leaf area, under various salt stress levels. Physiological attributes such as photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and relative water content were 23.7%, 32.4%, 51.3%, and 6.4% higher under 2.5 mg·L−1 OSA treatment, respectively compared to control. Nutritional attributes such as crude protein, fiber, total soluble sugars, and lignin were also improved under OSA treatment. The concentration of 2.5 mg·L−1 OSA treatment was found to be more effective under saline and non-saline conditions for increasing sorghum productivity. This research offers a promising strategy to increase crop productivity and resilience in the face of escalating soil salinity due to climate change.
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