Effects of 6-Benzylaminopurine and Salinity Stress on Flowering and Biochemical Characteristics of Winter Jasmine (<i>Jasminum nudiflorum</i> L.)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different levels of salinity stress and sprayed of the 6-benzylaminopurine (benzyl adenine) on morphological and biochemical characteristics of winter jasmine. Therefore, an experiment was conducted in 2016-2017 growing seasons in research center of greenhouse production of Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch. The experiment was carried by using a factorial based on completely randomized design with 4 levels of salinity stress (2, 4, 6 and 8 dS m^-1) as the first factor and different levels of benzyl adenine (control (non-application), 25 and 50 mg l^-1) as a second factor was performed in 3 replications (total of 36 plots). The traits such as fresh and dry weight of flower, flower number, content of the chlorophyll a, b, total, carotenoids, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme of winter jasmine plant were studied. The results showed that salinity levels and benzyl adenine foliar application have a significant effect on all of traits. The results showed that the activity of SOD was significantly higher in application of 8 dS m^-1 salinity than the 2 dS m^-1 treatment, and the highest enzymatic activity were recorded at 8 dS m^-1 treatment. On the other hand, in investigating the effects of foliar application of Benzyl adenine treatment, it was observed that this factor had positive effects on all of the above traits and their effects were concentration-dependent. It can be concluded that although salinity stress had a negative effect on winter jasmine, benzyl adenine treatment has minimized the negative effects of salinity stress.