EFFECT OF HOMOBRASSINOLIDE ON BIO-CHEMICAL ACTIVITIES AND CHLOROPHYLL PIGMENTS OF MUSTARD PLANTS GROWN IN SEMI-ARID TROPICS OF NIZAMABAD
P. Latha and Prof. B. Vidya Vardhini*
ABSTRACT
The effects of homobrassinolide (HBL) sprayed in three concentrations viz., 0.5 μM, 1.0 μM and 2.0 μM on biochemical parameters viz., carbohydrate fractions (reducing sugars, non reducing sugars and starch), proteins and nucleic acids (RNA and DNA) and chlorophyll pigments of mustard plants grown in the semi-arid tropics of Nizamabad was studied. The black soil in Nizamabad district is very saline wherein the plants usually experience drought and saline stresses. All the three concentrations of HBL played a very positive role in mitigating the saline stress and enhanced the bio-chemical activities viz., carbohydrate fractions (reducing sugars, total sugars and starch), nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), soluble proteins as well as chlorophyll pigments in mustard plants. HBL at 2.0μM was found most effective in increasing carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids and chlorophyll pigments compared to the other treatments as well as control plants. The increase in bio-chemical activities and chlorophyll pigments in mustard plant is an indicator that, the HBL mitigated the negative effect of the semi-arid conditions of the soil.
Keywords: Homobrassinolide (HBL), carbohydrates, chlorophyll pigments, nucleic acids, proteins.
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