Changes in some of the Biochemical and Physiological Characterisctics of Barley in Response to Application of Biochar and Methyl Jasmonate under Drought Stress

Abstract

This experiment was conducted in order to investigation the effects of using different quantities of mineral biochar and spraying of methyl Jasmonate on some of the physiological and biochemical characteristics of spring barley under moderate and severe levels of drought stress at the experimental greenhouse of the university of Zanjan as a factorial experiment in randomized complete block design in pots in five replications in 2019-2020. In this experiment levels of stress included in three levels of drought stress (100% FC as the none stressed, 60% FC as the mild stress and 30% FC as the severe stress), biochar application before cultivation in three levels (without biochar, 1.5 % and 3% of the soil weight) and foliar spraying of methyl Jasmonate in three levels (0, 75 and 150 μmol per liter). Results showed that drought both in moderate and in severe levels caused significant difference in studied factors. Drought led to reduction in photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, photosynthetic water use efficiency, SPAD index as well as increasing in concentration of MDA, proline and soluble carbohydrate but using different levels of biochar in soil and spraying Methyl Jasmonate caused enhancement in these characteristics. Although using higher levels of these materials didn’t have considerable positive effects on studied factors. Moreover, application of higher levels of these materials, did not make considerable positive effects in some attributes and indexes. It seems that using these anti-stress substances, can be a stimulating approach against lack of water, however, utilization of higher levels can be more disastrous for crop plants.

Keywords

• drought stress
• photosynthesis
• relative water content
• soluble carbohydrate
• transpiration