Silicon Mediated Changes in Growth and Photosynthetic Pigment of Wheat Plant Under Salt Stress

Abstract Purpose Salinity is a most important environmental stress which adversely affects the crop production and yield. In recent years, Silicon (Si) is gaining an increased attention in the field of stress management. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the moderately prone crops to different abiotic stresses which instantly damage the crop yield under stress condition. This work demonstrates the positive impact of Si on growth and photosynthetic pigments in wheat under saline conditions.Methods In this research work, two genotypes of wheat i.e. KRL 210 and WH 1105, were grown-up in soil under different salt stress concentration. There were different treatments under which they grown included T0= Control without salt stress (0 dS m-1) , T1= Sodium silicate without salt stress (2 mM) , T2= Control with salt stress (4 dS m-1) T3= Control with salt stress (8 dS m-1) T4= Control with salt stress (12 dS m-1) T5= Sodium silicate with salt stress (4dS m -1 + 2mM Si) T6= Sodium silicate with salt stress (8dS m-1 +2 mM Si) T7= Sodium silicate with salt stress (12dS m-1 +2mM Si). At vegetative stage, both the wheat genotypes were compared with their growth parameters and photosynthetic pigments.Results Plant biomass, shoot-root length and photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll- a, b, carotenoid & total chlorophyll) of wheat decreased under salt stress when increased up to 12 dS m-1 NaCl concentration. However, in salt stressed wheat plants, plant biomass increased by the Si application. Supplementation of Si improved the plant length as well as chlorophyll pigments which were decreased by the high salt concentration in plants. Silicon was found more effective in salt stressed condition than in alone with control.Conclusion So, it was determined that the Si application aided the wheat genotypes in alleviating salinity and enhancing their biomass and photosynthetic pigments which were declined in salt stress condition.