Efficacy of Foliar Spray of Two Biostimulants in Phytoremediation and Overcoming Salinity Stress in Halophytic Grass, Puccinellia Distans

Abstract Background: Plants pre-treatment with various chemicals has often been used to diminish salinity stress impact on plants. In the present study, we used foliar spray of two commercially biostimulants (Algabon® and Bomamid®) before the stress, to study interactive effects of biostimulants and salinity stress in halophytic grass, Pucccinellia distans. Results: Our results showed that biomass, leaf relative water content, chlorophyll content, K+ content, K+/Na+ ratio, and protein and N contents were also negatively affected by 300 mM NaCl. The results obtained in the present study showed the beneficial effects of the pre-treatments of two biostimulants on P. distans seedlings under non salinity stress conditions with respect to increasing plant biomass, photosynthetic pigments, K+ content, the content of proteins and nitrogen percentage. The results suggested that foliar spray of Bonamid could considerably diminish NaCl-caused stress on P. distans seedlings, probably due to higher accumulation of shoot biomass, photosynthetic pigments, K+/Na+ ratio, protein and N contents, phytoremediation potential, as well as upregulation of Na+/H+ antiporters located in plasma membranes and vacuoles. Conclusions: Collectively, it could be concluded that, intensification of osmotic adjustment by the accumulation of osmotic metabolites and the compartmentalization of salts in vacuoles in pre-treated plants with amino acid-derived biostimulant (Bonamid) can diminish the NaCl-induced deleterious effects in P. distans seedlings.