Matricaria Chamomilla L.) Populations
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Scholarly Journal of Agricultural Science Vol. 7(4), pp. 95-100 December, 2017 Available online at http:// www.scholarly-journals.com/SJAS ISSN 2276-7118 © 2017 Scholarly-Journals Full Length Research Paper Effect of different levels of salinity on some morpho- physiological characteristics in German Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) populations Yasamin, M.1*, Adel, D.M.N.1, Hossein, Z.2 and Rohallah, A.1 . 1Department of Plant Ecophysyology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran 2Natural Science department, Isfahan Agriculture and Natural Resources, Research and Education Centre, AREO, Isfahan, Iran. Accepted 16 December, 2017 The experiment was conducted to determine the effect of different levels of salinity on some of morpho- physiological characteristics in German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) cultivated for two years in Isfahan, Iran. The experimental treatments consisted of four salinity levels of the irrigation water (6, 9, and 12 dS m-1) compared to the control (2 dS m-1) and 3 chamomile (Isfahan, Tehran and Ardebil) populations. A field examination was conducted using randomized Split-Plot statistical designs with 3 replications. The seedlings were plannted in nursery then transplanted in early March in 2011 and 2013 to the main land. Salinity treatments were applied by weekly irrigation after transplanting. In this study plant height, number of flowers per plant, shoot, root and flower weight (fresh and dried), flower essential oil weights, Leaf relative water content, leaf relative water lose and 1000 seed weight were investigated. The results showed that the Tehran population in most characteristics was best. There were not significant difference in economically important traits such as fresh and dry weight of flower and essential oil weight among populations. Except of root fresh and dry weight, plant height and 100 seed weight, other traits were higher significantly at first year. All traits were highest in control Ec. Additionally by increasing in salinity levels, morphological traits showed different trend. Salinity could reduce RWL and increase RWC adversely. In conclusion we could demonstrate that using of different levels of salinity had significant effects on some morpho- physiological characteristics in Matricaria chamomilla L. Despite the non significant difference, Isfahan population had highest essential oil. According to the effect of salinity on economically important characteristics, the chamomile cultivation can be recommended by 9 dS m-1. Key words: Matricaria Chamomilla, Salinity, irrigation, Morpho-physiological characteristics, Isfahan. Population. INTRODUCTION Iran is located in mostly arid and semi-arid areas and (Al-Khateeb, 2006). Salt stress and soil salinity creates water availability is a major problem in crop production. ionic and osmotic stress on many plants. Also, ionic Fifteen percent of total agricultural lands of Iran have salt toxicity generated from salt contaminated soil has in water or soil. Soil salinity is one of the worldwide negative effects on plant growth and development problems adversely affecting the agricultural production (Munns et al., 2006).There are many defense (Levitt, 1980). Salinity is a major environmental stress mechanisms in plants which are tolerant to water-deficit and is more conspicuous in arid and semi-arid areas and salt stresses, such as osmoregulation, ion where 25 % of the irrigated lands are affected by salts homeostasis, antioxidant and hormonal systems (Mahajan and Tuteja, 2005), helping plants to survive and grow under severe environmental conditions prior to their reproductive stages. The defense mechanisms in *Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected]. sensitive plant species are weaker, leading to growth Scholarly J. Agric. Sci. 96 Table 1. Soil chemical characteristics of experimental field. EC (dS/m) 5 pH 7.5 Cl (Meq/l) 23 S.Anions 28.6 Mg + Ca (Meq/l) 48 Na(Meq/l) 21 S.Cations 69 retardation and yield reduction. Biochemical and -nt of Natural Science at Agriculture and Natural physiological parameters in plants cultivated in salt Resources, Research and Education Centre of Isfahan conditions have been developed as effective indices for Province, Isfahan, Iran during 2013-2014. The tolerant screening in plant breeding programs (Ashraf geographical location of the station was “323616”N and and Foolad, 2007). Salinity adversely affects the process “513448”E with 1671 m altitude. The soil properties of the of germination, seedling establishment, plant growth and location are presented in Table 1. yield in almost all the cultivated crops by lowering the Seeds were planted in the 2011 autumn cases and the osmotic potential of water in the growing medium or by seedlings were transplanted in early 2013 March. causing specific ionic toxicity or both. Salinity has been Selected populations for planting were pointed from the reported to affect adversely the composition of result of genetic diversity plan during the previous years. photosynthetic pigments and the changes in pigment Several indices to measure each samples were selected composition depend upon the specific nature of ion, plant randomly from the area and finally they were averaged. species and the age of plant (Levitt, 1980). The Each experimental plot size was 3 m × 4 m and in each anatomical and morphological features typical of plot, the plants were grown in three equidistant rows with halophytes are usually considered to be adaptations to adjacent rows being 30 cm apart. After transplanting the salinity. There is very little experimental evidence to show seedling from the nursery to the main land, salinity whether the same features occur when the halophytes treatments were applied with weekly irrigation. The are not exposed to the effects of salinity. German experimental treatments consisted of four salinity levels chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla Linn) is an important of the irrigation water (6, 9, and 12 dS m-1) compared to medicinal herb belonging to the family Asteraceae the control (2 dS m-1) and 3 chamomile populations (Maheshwari, 1963). It naturally grows in west, northwest (Isfahan, Tehran and Ardebil) with 3 replication. The and southern part of Iran. The oil extracted from flower is salinity levels were obtained by addition of appropriate aphrodisiac and analgesic used for relieving all kinds of amount of NaCl to water and were adjusted by a portable pains. About 120 chemical constituents have been EC meter instrument. The different irrigation treatments identified in chamomile as secondary metabolites, started in the beginning of transplanting after the started including 28 terpenoids, 36 flavonoids and 52 additional their growth and development until harvest. compounds with potential pharmacological activity. It may be considered as an economic substitute for field crops Investigation some morpho-physiological traits irrigated with fresh water since it has adaptability to wide range of climate and soil (Abari et al., 2011; Bewley and At full flowering stage, five plants were selected from Black, 1982). The areas becoming unsuitable for middle row by eliminating border effects. Then, the traits; conventional crops may be used for growing such plants No. of flowering stems, plant height (cm), capitol diameter depending upon their suitability to the prevailing of flowers, flowers and root weight (wet or dried), plant environmental condition. The performance of chamomile height, number of branches per plant, number of flowers on saline water has not been well studied or documented per bushes, plant dry weight, number of flowering and there are only a few reports on the effect of water branches and essential oil weight were measured and salinity on morphological characters and oil composition investigated. The flowers were gradually harvested and of chamomile (Afzali et al., 2006). The aim of this study weighted for determination of fresh flower yield. Dry root was to determine the effect of different levels of salinity and flower weight of each plot was calculated after drying on some morpho-physiological characteristics in the flowers at room temperature (20–25 at 8 ºC). Plant Matricaria Chamomilla L cultivated in Isfahan, Iran. height was measured by using a ruler with an accuracy of 1mm of 5 plants and their averages were evaluated. The individual plant samples of each population were MATERIAL AND METHODS conditioned in plastic bags and transported to the laboratory under refrigeration. Samples (~200 g) were air The present experiment was carried out in the Departme- dried at room temperature (20 to 25ºC) and maintained in Yasamin et al., 97 Table 2- salinity effect on some morpho-physiological traits in Matricaria chamomilla populations. Treatments Means Fresh hoot Dry shoot Fresh root Dry root Fresh flower Dry flower Number of weight (g) weight (g) eight (g) weight (g) weight (g/m2) weight (g/m2) flowers per plant Genotypes Isfahan 27.83b 9.53 64.21b 12.08b 2014 1117 40.47b* Tehran 32.46a 10.38 77.88a 16.73a 1980 1089 48.22a Ardebil 32.13a 9.78 76.55b 15.80b 2020 1125 47.40b P-value ** n.s ** ** n.s n.s ** Year 1 32.54a 17.11a 62.18b 13.77b 1980a 1528a 47.43a 2 29.07b 12.68b 83.56a 15.98a 1130b 692b 43.50b P-value ** ** ** ** ** ** ** EC 2 37.98a 10.99a 85.02a 18.40a 1440a 1190a 57.56a 6 25.47c 8.92bc 62.22c 13.61c 1307ab 1141ab 45.31b 9 30.86b 9.90b 78.00b 14.90b 1295ab 1130ab 40.52bc 12 38.92b 8.83c 66.27c 12.58c 1397b 1097b 38.34c P-value ** ** ** ** ** ** ** *Means within row with no common on letter are significantly different (p≤ 0.05). a refrigerated chamber (10ºC) until extraction. Each Isfahan, Tehran and Ardebil selected genotypes in first sample used in this survey was deposited at the and second years of cultivation period. Herbarium, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) The statically model was: branch, Isfahan, Iran. The air-dried samples (100 g) were subjected to water distillation for 2 h using a Clevenger- yijk = µ + αi + βj + (αβ)ij + cik + eijk type apparatus.