Licorice ( Glycyrrhiza glabra )—Growth and Phytochemical Compound Secretion in Degraded Lands under Drought Stress

Botir Khaitov, Munisa Urmonova, Aziz Karimov, Botirjon Sulaymonov, Kholik Allanov, Inomjon Israilov and Oybek Sottorov
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Botir Khaitov: Department of Melioration and Agriculture, Tashkent State Agrarian University, Tashkent 100140, Uzbekistan
Munisa Urmonova: Department of Melioration and Agriculture, Tashkent State Agrarian University, Tashkent 100140, Uzbekistan
Aziz Karimov: International Center for Biosaline Agriculture, Regional Branch in Tashkent, Tashkent 100084, Uzbekistan
Botirjon Sulaymonov: Department of Melioration and Agriculture, Tashkent State Agrarian University, Tashkent 100140, Uzbekistan
Kholik Allanov: Department of Melioration and Agriculture, Tashkent State Agrarian University, Tashkent 100140, Uzbekistan
Inomjon Israilov: Department of Melioration and Agriculture, Tashkent State Agrarian University, Tashkent 100140, Uzbekistan
Oybek Sottorov: Department of Melioration and Agriculture, Tashkent State Agrarian University, Tashkent 100140, Uzbekistan

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-11

Abstract: Water deficiency restricts plant productivity, while excessive soil moisture may also have an adverse impact. In light of this background, field trials were conducted in secondary saline soil (EC 6.5 dS m −1 ) at the experimental station of Tashkent State Agrarian University (TSAU), Uzbekistan to determine drought tolerance of licorice ( Glycyrrhiza glabra ) by exposure to four levels of water deficit, namely control (70–80%), moderate (50–60%), strong (30–40%) and intense (10–20%) relative water content (WC) in the soil. The moderate drought stress exhibited positive effects on the morphological and physiological parameters of licorice, and was considered to be the most suitable water regime for licorice cultivation. Plant growth under the 50–60% WC treatment was slightly higher as compared to 70–80% WC treatment, exhibiting weak water deficit promotes licorice growth, root yield and secondary metabolite production. In particular, secondary metabolites i.e., ash, glycyrrhizic acid, extractive compounds and flavonoids, tended to increase under moderate water deficit, however further drought intensification brought a sharp decline of these values. These results contribute to the development of licorice cultivation technologies in arid regions and the most important consideration is the restoration of ecological and economical functions of the dryland agricultural system.

Keywords: licorice; drought stress; irrigation regime; biomass; root yield; metabolites (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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