Morpho-physiological and biochemical alterations in fenugreek in response to salinity

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted to study the growth and stress response of fenugreek plants at varying levels of salinity, and the observations were recorded at two stages. There was a significant decline in morpho-physiological parameters, viz., fresh and dry weight, root and shoot length, water status, and cell stability, along with degradation of photosynthetic pigments with increasing salinity. The salinity stress led to the accumulation of oxidative stress factors, viz., malondialdehyde. The compatible solutes like proline showed an increment of 80%; total soluble sugars showed an accumulation of 63 and 49% at 30 and 50 days after germination (DAG), respectively, in treatment T5 (8 ds/m). Salinity stress led to an accumulation of Na+ as reflected by the highest Na+-K+ ratio at 50 DAG in treatment T5. Non-enzymatic antioxidants, viz. phenol content, resulted in an increment of 40% in treatment T5. The enzymatic antioxidants, viz., peroxidase and catalase, showed significant accumulation at the early stage followed by a decline at the later stage. Thus, we can conclude that the higher levels of salinity affect the growth and physiological performance of fenugreek, but the plants activate the defense response by the accumulation of compatible solutes and antioxidants, thereby tolerating the stress.