Drought Stress Alleviation by Potassium-Nitrate-Containing Chitosan/Montmorillonite Microparticles Confers Changes in Spinacia oleracea L

Syed Abu Bakr Haider Bukhari, Irfana Lalarukh, Syeda Fasiha Amjad, Nida Mansoora, Maliha Naz, Muhammad Naeem, Syeda Aqsa Bukhari, Muhammad Shahbaz, Saleha Ahmad Ali, Theodore Danso Marfo, Subhan Danish, Rahul Datta and Shah Fahad
Additional contact information
Syed Abu Bakr Haider Bukhari: Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Irfana Lalarukh: Department of Botany, Government College Woman University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Syeda Fasiha Amjad: Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Nida Mansoora: Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Maliha Naz: Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Muhammad Naeem: College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050016, China
Syeda Aqsa Bukhari: Department of Chemistry, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan
Muhammad Shahbaz: Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Saleha Ahmad Ali: Department of Botany, University of Lahore, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
Theodore Danso Marfo: Department of Environmental Management Technology, Cape Coast Technical University, Cape Coast P.O. Box DL 50, Ghana
Subhan Danish: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
Rahul Datta: Department of Geology and Pedology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
Shah Fahad: Department of Agronomy, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22620, Pakistan

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 17, 1-15

Abstract: Drought and low amounts of mineral nutrients in the soil are the two leading global constraints in arid and semiarid regions. Their detrimental effects on soils and crops can be alleviated by applying controlled release and biodegradable fertilizers to better and sustain the crops. On a global scale, spinach ( Spinacia oleracea L.) is an essential leafy green vegetable that is biologically considered a reliable source of essential nutrients and minerals for human health. A comprehensive approach is needed to manage water stress to mitigate the impacts of stress-caused damage and to examine this for better and increased plant production. An experiment was conducted using potassium-nitrate-containing chitosan/montmorillonite microparticles (150 mg) under mild and severe drought stress (MDS: 50% and SDS: 35% FC, respectively). The treatments include control (no KNO 3 and 70% FC as normal irrigation (NI)), KNO 3 + NI, 50% FC as mild drought stress (MDS), KNO 3 + MDS, 35% FC as severe drought stress (SDS) and KNO 3 + SDS. Results revealed that drought stress decreased all studied physiological parameters and increased oxidative stress indicators in spinach. Applying KN significantly increased root (122%) and shoot length (4%), shoot fresh weight (32%) and shoot dry weight (71%), chlorophyll a (88%), carotenoids (39%), total soluble proteins (50%), soluble sugars (51%), potassium (80%), and phosphorous (32%) concentrations over No KN at severe drought. While stress indicators, like glycine betaine, malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, electrolyte leakage, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and ascorbic acid levels, were increased in stress. Treatment KN was proved efficient and effective in improving spinach physiological status in both MDS and SDS.

Keywords: osmotic stress; mineral fertilizer; soil mineral; antioxidants; growth attributes; spinach (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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