Journal
JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY AND CROP SCIENCE
Volume 195, Issue 6, Pages 420-426Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-037X.2009.00381.x
Keywords
growth; osmoprotectants; photosynthesis; stomatal conductance; transpiration; water deficit
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This study investigated whether the exogenous application of glycine betaine (GB) could alleviate the adverse effects of water deficit on sunflower. Two sunflower lines, Gulshan-98 and Suncross, were subjected to water deficit at the vegetative or the reproductive stages of plant growth. Three levels (0, 50 and 100 mmol l-1) of GB were applied as a pre-sowing seed treatment or as a foliar spray at the time of initiation of water deficit at the vegetative or reproductive stages. Foliar application of GB at the time of initiation of water deficit treatments showed a marginal increase in shoot biomass in drought-stressed plants. Exogenously supplied GB as a foliar spray also showed a positive role in reducing the effects of water deficit on net CO2 assimilation rate, transpiration rate and sub-stomatal CO2 concentration in both sunflower lines. Pre-sowing seed treatment with GB had no effects on the above-mentioned physiological and growth attributes in both normally irrigated and drought-stressed plants. Taken together, foliar application of GB increased net CO2 assimilation rate which in turn showed a slight increase in growth of water-stressed plants but this increase was not related to stomatal regulation.
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