Improving the Tolerance to Salinity Stress in Lettuce Plants (<i>Lactuca sativa</i> L.) Using Exogenous Application of Salicylic Acid, Yeast, and Zeolite
Mahfoud Babaousmail,
Mohammed S. Nili,
Rania Brik,
Mohammed Saadouni,
Sawsan K. M. Yousif,
Rihab M. Omer,
Nahid A. Osman,
Abdulaziz A. Alsahli,
Hatem Ashour,
Ahmed M. El-Taher
Affiliations
Mahfoud Babaousmail
Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biotechnology Applications in Agriculture, University of El Oued, El Oued 39000, Algeria
Mohammed S. Nili
Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biotechnology Applications in Agriculture, University of El Oued, El Oued 39000, Algeria
Rania Brik
Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of El Oued, El Oued 39000, Algeria
Mohammed Saadouni
Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of El Oued, El Oued 39000, Algeria
Sawsan K. M. Yousif
Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Science in Baljurashi, Al-Baha University, Al Bahah 65528, Saudi Arabia
Rihab M. Omer
Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Science in Baljurashi, Al-Baha University, Al Bahah 65528, Saudi Arabia
Nahid A. Osman
Department of Science and Technology, Ranya Collage, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
Abdulaziz A. Alsahli
Department of Botany & Microbiology, Science College, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Hatem Ashour
Department of Agricultural Botany, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11566, Egypt
Ahmed M. El-Taher
Department of Agricultural Botany, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Cairo 71524, Egypt
Salinity is among the most limiting factors of crop production worldwide. This study aims to investigate the influence of the exogenous application of zeolite, yeast, and salicylic acid in alleviating the negative effect of salt stress under field conditions. Lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Batavia) were tested in a split-plot arrangement replicated three times. The salt stress was applied as a whole-plot factor in the concentrations (0 mM, 50 mM, 100 mM, and 150 mM NaCl). After 28 days of sowing, the plants were sprayed twice during the foliage growth with (control, salicylic acid 0.02%, yeast extract 3%, and zeolite 0.5%) as a split-plot factor. The length of roots and shoots, the number and area of leaves, and the biomass accumulation (dry and fresh weights) were measured 50 days after sowing. The concentrations of total soluble sugars, proline, Chlorophylls a and b in leaves have also been quantified. Salt stress significantly reduced the growth and the total chlorophyll of the lettuce plants (p p p < 0.05) but with lower proline, sugar, and chlorophyll contents. In general, foliar spray of yeast extract may offer a good alternative source of nutrients through leaves, leading to a better tolerance of the high salt stress exerted on roots.
