Micronutrients uptake and chlorophyll content of chili pepper in response to salinity and Nano-chelate Super Plus ZFM

The implementation of nano-technology for the amelioration of plant tolerance against abiotic stress has been widely reported in last years.
In the current study, spraying of Nano-chelate Super Plus ZFM (NcSP-ZFM) on salt-stressed chili pepper was evaluated.
The effect of NcSP-ZFM was tested, on micronutrients content in shoots and fruits, on chlorophyll content, relative water content and cell electrolyte leakage.
The product was sprayed in two concentrations at 2.5 g L^‑1 (C1) and 5 g L^‑1 (C2) on chili pepper irrigated with three NaCl solutions (EC1.5: 1.5 dS m^‑1, EC3: 3 dS m^‑1 and EC6: 6 dS m^‑1). Control plants were salt-stressed without any product.
As a result, increasing salt stress levels promoted sodium accumulation in shoots and fruits peaking in control at EC6 with 0.4 and 0.31% respectively.
This accumulation caused an inhibition in Ca, Fe, Zn and Mn content and minimized chlorophyll a, b and consequently total chlorophyll content.
The application of NcSP-ZFM mainly with C1 reduced sodium accumulation, in shoots by 0.04, 0.16 and 0.11%, and in fruits by 0.06, 0.08 and 0.09% at EC1.5, EC3 and EC6 compared to controls, respectively.
The application of NcSP-ZFM-C2 caused a three- to four-fold increase in micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Mn) content in shoots and to a lower extent in fruits under all salt-stress levels.
Moreover, NcSP-ZFM increased Ca/Na ratio in shoots and fruits under all ECs with the best effect obtained for C1. It caused also an increase in chlorophyll a and b by 0.1 mg g^‑1 fresh weight and 0.03 mg g^‑1 fresh weight, at EC1.5, by 0.05 mg g^‑1 fresh weight and 0.02 mg g^‑1 fresh weight at EC3, and by 0.04 mg g^‑1 fresh weight and 0.02 mg g^‑1 fresh weight at EC6 compared to controls, respectively.
Applying NcSP-ZFM in both concentrations seemed to counteract salt-stress by preventing Na accumulation, maintaining nutrient balance and improving chlorophyll content.

IV International Symposium on Horticulture in Europe – SHE2021

Y.N. Sassine, R. Bejjani, M.H. Yordanova, A.M.R. Abdel-mawgoud, T.K. Sajyan, S.M. Alturki

Capsicum annuum, nano-micronutrients, abiotic stress, physiology, nutrient uptake

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2021.1327.27