Exogenous application of ascorbic acid improves physiological and productive traits of Nigella sativa
Abid Mehmood,
Khalid Naveed,
Ke Liu,
Matthew Tom Harrison,
Shah Saud,
Shah Hassan,
Taufiq Nawaz,
Bikram Dhara,
Dong-Qin Dai,
Iftikhar Ali,
Muhammad Adnan,
Khaled El-Kahtany,
Shah Fahad
Affiliations
Abid Mehmood
Center for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, Yunnan Engineering Research Center of Fruit Wine, College of Biological Resource and Food Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing, Yunnan, China; Department of Agronomy, The University of Haripur, Pakistan
Khalid Naveed
Department of Agronomy, The University of Haripur, Pakistan
Ke Liu
Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Burnie, 7250, Tasmania, Australia
Matthew Tom Harrison
Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Burnie, 7250, Tasmania, Australia
Shah Saud
College of Life Science, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong, 276000, China; Corresponding author.
Shah Hassan
Department of Agricultural Extension Education & Communication, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, 25130, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Taufiq Nawaz
Department of Biology and Microbiology, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, 57007, USA
Bikram Dhara
Center for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, Tamil nadu, India; Department of Health Sciences, Novel Global Community Educational Foundation, Hebasham, NSW, Australia
Dong-Qin Dai
Center for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, Yunnan Engineering Research Center of Fruit Wine, College of Biological Resource and Food Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing, Yunnan, China; Corresponding author.
Iftikhar Ali
Centre for Plant Science and Biodiversity, University of Swat, Charbagh, 19120, Pakistan; School of Life Sciences & Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
Muhammad Adnan
Department of Agriculture, The University of Swabi, Swabi, (23561), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Khaled El-Kahtany
Geology and Geophysics Department, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
Shah Fahad
Department of Agronomy, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 23200, Pakistan; Corresponding author. Department of Agronomy, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 23200, Pakistan.
For thousands of years, plants have been utilized for medicinal purposes. For its naturally existing antibacterial properties, Nigella sativa is one of the most researched herbs. A study was conducted during rabi 2020-21 at The University of Haripur in order to evaluate the potential of ascorbic acid as plant growth enhancer. Two concentrations of ascorbic acid i-e 350 μm and 400 μm were sprayed along with control and water only spray on Nigella sativa crop. The study was arranged in RCBD two factor factorial arrangement. Factor A: ascorbic acid concentrations along with control and water spray, factor B: Growth stages (Stage1 = 40 days after sowing, Stage 2 = 80 DAS, Stage 3 = 120 DAS, Stage 4 = 40 + 80 DAS, Stage 5 = 40 + 120 DAS, Stage 6 = 80 + 120 DAS, Stage 7 = 40 + 80 + 120 DAS). Crop was sown in first week of November. Results reviled that chlorophyll b content, fixed oil content, 1000 seed weight, grain yield, Photosynthetic rate (μ mole m−2s−1), Transpiration rate (mmole m−2s−1), photosynthetic water use efficiency, Internal CO2 concentration (Ci) of leaf tissue and Stomatal conductance (mmole m−2s−1) were significantly affected by ascorbic acid concentrations and stage of application. Crop growth rate increased by 19.88% and 17.29%, chlorophyll b by 12.3% and 11.2%, fixed oil by 11.7% and 9%, grain yield by 10.29% and 9.8%, harvest index by 4% and 5.7% photosynthetic rate by 33%, 20% and stomatal conductance by 24.24% and 24.25 with application of ascorbic acid @ 350 μm, over control and water spray respectively. On the basis of these results it is concluded that application of ascorbic acid at the rate of 350 μm, followed by ascorbic acid at the rate of 400 μm significantly improves black cumin (Nigella sativa) yield and production. Hence it is recommended to apply ascorbic acid at the rate of 350 μm at 40 + 80+120 days after sowing of Nigella sativa crop for obtaining maximum results.
