Application of growth regulators plays important role under salt conditions. Perspectives to overcome these limitations by chitosan nanoparticle (CSNP: 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1%) and pyridoxine (PN: 0, 0.03, 0.06, and 0.09%) seed priming was studied in both experiments with milk thistle seeds exposed to NaCl as salt stress (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM). Salinity threshold and EC50 (the salinity level that 50% of germination reduction) achieved 74.85 and 213.5 mM, respectively. A significant reduction in germination percentage (49.12%), seedling length (50.07%), and seedling vigor index (67.39%) while, a significant increase in superoxide dismutase activity (54.63%) were achieved at 150 mM NaCl in compared to the control treatment. The highest germination rate was resulted by 100 mM NaCl and 0.25% CSNP and the least (2.86 seed/day) by 150 mM NaCl and without CSNP. The salt stress significantly decreased photosynthetic pigments; however, the largest value of chlorophyll a, b, and total was related to without NaCl and 1% CSNP and the least value of traits (6.1, 1.67, and 7.77 µg/g FW) to non-application of CSNP under 150 mM NaCl. PN application was caused decrease in free proline content compared to the non-application treatment. The most pronounced effects of CSNP and PN were recorded in 0.25 and 0.09% concentrations, respectively. The finding of this study leads to the conclusion that seed priming with CSNP and PN by improving physiological mechanisms such as photosynthetic pigment synthesis, antioxidant enzyme activities, and free proline content increased salt tolerance in milk thistle seedling.
This research was conducted from 2017 to 2018 to produce genetic diversity and examine selected suitable hybrids concerning certain agricultural traits under normal and water-deficit stress conditions in a Zarghostar-Arta company. In 2017, four potato cultivars, namely, Luca, Banba, Esprit, and Agria, were crossed as parents via mutual hybridization based on the diallel method guided by Griffing’s method III. About 8550 true potato seeds were produced, among which 3944 seeds were germinated, and 151 hybrids were selected for culturing on a split-plot with a randomized complete block design involving three replications. The main factors of interest in the design were three irrigation levels (100%, 85%, and 70% water supply requirements), and the sub-factors were 12 populations. The highest specific combining ability for tuber yield was found in the direct cross of the ♂Luca×Esprit♀ compound under normal and mild conditions. In mild and severe stress conditions, the hybrid of ♀Luca×Agria♂ and the direct cross of the ♀Luca×Esprit♀ compound had the highest tuber yields. The general heritability of tuber yield ranged from 81.68% (in 70% available water) to 94.66% (in 100% available water), and the specific heritability ranged from 62.39% (in 85% available water) to 86.78% (in 100% available water). Additive variances in the varieties were 118.05, 46.92, and 37.49, and dominance variances were 33.82, 8.97, and 0.68 in 100%, 85%, and 70% available water, respectively.
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