Selection of a Salt Tolerant Tunisian Cultivar of Chili Pepper {Capsicum Frutescens)
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EurAsian Journal of Biosciences Eurasia J Biosci 6, 47-59 (2012) DOI:10.5053/ejobios.2012.6.0.6 Selection of a salt tolerant Tunisian cultivar of chili pepper {Capsicum frutescens) Kaouther Zhani1*, Mohamed Aymen Elouer1, Hassan Aloui2, Cherif Hannachi1 1 Department of Horticulture and Landscape, Sousse University, High Institute of Agronomy, 4042 Chott Mariem, Tunisia 2Carthage University, Faculty of Science, Jarzouna 7021, Bizerte, Tunisia Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract Background: Salinity affects germination and seedling growth and yield of several crop species, such as pepper. That is why this study was carried to evaluate the effects of NaCI on seed Li- germination, seedling growth and ionic balance of three Tunisian chili pepper {Capsicum frutescens) cv: Tebourba, Korba and Awlad Haffouz. Materials and Methods: The percentage of germination, the growth and the mineral contents were measured in the three Tunisian chili pepper cv watered with water containing 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 g L1 NaCI. Results: Results showed that different salinity stress levels had significant effect on germination percentage and germination time. In pot experiment, increasing NaCI concentration, for all cv, induced a significant decrease on plant height, root length, leaves number, leaf area and chlorophyll amount. The fresh and dry weights are also affected. In addition, salinity increased Na+ and CI" levels but decreased K+ level in roots and shoots. Conclusions: Awlad Haffouz cv had the highest K7Na+ ratio compared to cv Korba and Tebourba and it has showed the best response under salt stress during germination and growth stage which lets it to be the most tolerant cv. Keywords: Capsicum frutescens, germination, mineral nutrition, salinity, shoot. Zhani K, Elouer MA, Aloui H, Hannachi C (2012) Selection of a salt tolerant Tunisian cultivar of chili pepper {Capsicum frutescens). Eurasia J Biosci 6: 47-59. DOI:10.5053/ejobios.2012.6.0.6 ©EurAsian Journal of Biosciences regulate its accumulation (Munns and Tester 2008). INTRODUCTION Pepper is widely cultivated for its fruits which Salinity is one of the most important abiotic have a recognized nutritional value. In fact, they are stresses limiting crop production in arid and an excellent source of various antioxidant semiarid regions, where soil salt content is high and compounds like flavonoids, carotenoids and vitamin precipitation is low (Neumann 1995). Transpiration C (Chuah et al. 2008). This later protects human body and evaporation from the soil surface, salt load in against oxidative damage and prevents various irrigation water, over use of fertilizers and lack of diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases proper drainage can be the main factors that (Oboth and Rocha 2007). In Tunisia, Pepper is the contribute to this problem. Around 930 million ha of major cultivated plant and its fruits are mainly land world-wide, 20% of total agricultural land, are consumed either fresh or dry. It is cultivated on open affected by salinity (Munns 2002). Salinity limits air and under greenhouse. However, pepper is crops production, especially the sensitive ones exposed to many biotic (virus, fungi) and abiotic (Zadeh and Naeini 2007) and reduces the yield of stress, especially salinity, which has a negative effect major crops by more than 50% (Bray et al. 2000). It on pepper growth and yield (Ibn Maaouia-Houimli et affects morphological, physiological and al. 2011). biochemical processes, including seed germination, The objective of this research was to study the plant growth and water and nutrient uptake effect of salt stress on some characteristics of three (Willenborg et al. 2004). These effects can be due to Tunisian chili pepper cv: Tebourba, Korba and Awlad low osmotic potential of soil solution, specific ion Haffouz by measuring seed germination, seedling effects, nutritional imbalance or a combined effect of all these factors (Marschner 1995). NaCl is the Received: April 2012 predominant salt causing salinization and it is Accepted: April 2012 expected that plants have involved mechanisms to Printed: June 2012 47 EurAsian Journal of BioSciences 6: 47-59 (2012) Zhani et al. growth and ionic balance at various concentrations according to Arnon (1949) method. Samples of fresh of NaCl (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 g L-1) in order to select salt leaves (0.1 g) were ground with sand and 10 mL of tolerant cultivars. acetone in a mortar. The absorbance of the extracts was measured by spectrophotometry at 645 and 663 nm. MATERIALS AND METHODS The chl amounts were calculated according to the Seed germination assay following equations: Seeds of three chili pepper cv (Tebourba, Korba Chl a (ug g-1 F.W.): 12.7 (OD 663) - 2.63 (OD 645) and Awlad Haffouz) were collected from plants Chl b (ug g-1 F.W.): 22.9 (OD 645) - 4.86 (OD 663) cultivated one year ago in the experimental station Chl (a+b) (ug g-1 F.W.): 8.02 (OD 663) - 20.2 (OD of Agronomic High Institute of Chott Mariem. The 645) seeds were sterilized for 20 min in sodium hypo¬ K+, Na+ and Cl- root and shoot content were chloride (5%) and then they were rinsed 3 times with analyzed by flame spectrophotometer. Pots were distilled water for 2 min. After sterilization, under disturbed in completely randomized design with 3 laminar flow, 10 seeds of each cv were transferred replications. into sterile Petri dishes (100x100 mm dimensions) Data analysis between two layers Watman filter paper and then All data were analyzed by "SPSS software 13.00" wetted with 10 mL distilled water (control) or saline and Duncan's multiple range tests were used to solution containing 2, 4, 6 and 8 g L-1 NaCl and left to determine significance between variables (P<0.05). germinate at 25°C. Germinated seeds were recorded during 20 days. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Germination (%)= n/N x 100 n: number of germinated seeds on the nth day Seed germination percentage and germination N: total number of seeds time Treatments were assessed in factorial Effect of NaCl concentration on the percentage experimental based on a completely randomized of germination in the three cv during 20 days is design at 3 replications. Each replication includes shown in Figs. 1-3. In control treatment, seeds one Petri dish (ten seeds per Petri dish). germinated after two (Korba cv) or three days Growth assay (Tebourba and Awlad Haffouz cv) and total Seeds were sterilized for 20 min in sodium hypo¬ germination ended after 13 (Korba and Awlad chloride solution (5%) and then rinsed 3 times with Haffouz cv) or 14 days (Tebourba cv). Salt stress distilled water. Five seeds from each cv were sowed modified germination process by increasing in plastic pot (12 cm diameter and 22 cm height) germination time and decreasing germination containing gravel and fertilized peat (1/4: 3/4) at 1 percentage. Under the highest concentration of cm depth. Pots were put in greenhouse under NaCl, seeds germinated after six (Korba cv) to ten 25°/18°C day/night temperature and natural light. days (Tebourba cv). The maximum germination After emergence, one seedling per pot was percentage was observed in Korba cv (50%) and the conserved. For 60 days, plants were watered with lowest one in Tebourba cv (10%). Zhani (2009) had water (control) or a saline solution containing 2, 4, 6 obtained similar results in other Tunisian pepper cv and 8 g L-1 NaCl. The plant height (cm), root length where NaCl decreased germination percentage to (cm), leaves number per plant, leaf area (cm2), fresh 70 and 20% respectively in Starter and Chergui cv at weight for both shoot and root were measured. Dry 6 g L-1 NaCl. Keshavarzi (2011) and Keshavarzi et al. weights were measured after drying into oven at (2011) have found the same result respectively on 80°C for 48 h. some savory and spinach cv. Leaf area was measured by planimeter (Area NaCl affected seed germination by creating Meter 3100). Chl (a and b) were determined external osmotic potential which causes difficulties 48 EurAsian Journal of BioSciences 6: 47-59 (2012) Zhani et al. Day s after sowing Fig. 2. Effect of NaCl (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 g L-1) on the percentage of germination of Korba ch ili pepper cultivar. in absorption of the necessary water quantities for and Korba cv decreased significantly at NaCl 8 g L1 the germination process (Abdelly 1992). Guerrier respectively to 37, 57 and 58%. The same result was (1984) reported that salt stress causes also specific obtained in canola (Bybordi 2010) where the height toxicity by higher accumulation of Na+ and Cl- ions in of plants declines from 56.25 cm in control to 28.19 the embryo in addition to a mineral imbalance. In cm at NaCl 6 g L1. extreme case, death of embryo can take place due to Root length an inhibition of metabolic process (Bliss et al. 1986). Mean of root length was between 15.7 (control) Plant height and 7.4 cm (8 g L1 NaCl). As expected, control The mean of plant height varied between 36.5 condition and the highest NaCl level (8 g L1) induced (control) to 17.9 cm (8 g L-1 NaCl) (Table 1). The the longest and the shortest root length longest plant height was observed in the control of respectively (Table 1). Generally, root length Tebourba cv (38.2 cm). When NaCl concentration decreased as salt stress increased. In the control, it increased, plant height of Awlad Haffouz, Tebourba varied from 14.1 (Korba cv) to 18.8 cm (Awlad 49 EurAsian Journal of BioSciences 6: 47-59 (2012) Zhani et al. sowing Fig. 3. Effect of NaCl (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 g L-1) on the percentage of germination of Awlad Haffouz chili pepper cultivar.