Sorbitol and lithovit-guano25 mitigates the adverse effects of salinity on eggplant grown in pot experiment

Abstract

This trial aimed to study the separate effects of nano-fertilizers and sugar alcohols in mitigating salt-stress on eggplant (Solanum melongena L) crop. For this purpose, two different concentrations of lithovit®-guano25 (A1:0.5 g L -1 and A2:1 g L -1 ) and sorbitol (B1:5 g L -1 and B2:10 g L -1 ) were sprayed on eggplant irrigated by three NaCl solutions (EC1:1.5 dS m-1 , EC2:3 dS m-1 and EC3 6 dS m-1 ). Control plants were salt-stressed without any product. Results revealed an inhibitory effect of increasing in salt-stress on vegetative traits (plant height, leaf number, weights of plant parts and root mass fraction), reproductive traits (fruit number, fruit weight, yield plant-1 , fruit diameter) and photosynthetic pigments. Control plants at EC6 had the highest cell electrolyte leakage (51.26%). Plant height and fruit number were maximized by A1 at all salinity levels. Additionally, A2 increased fruit weight by 89.98g, 85g and 92.3g compared to control respectively at 1.5, 3 and 6 dS m-1 . Yield plant-1 increased by this treatment at all EC levels. At 3 and 6 dS m-1 , A2-treated plants had the highest chlorophyll a (respectively 1.67 and 1.4mg g-1 fresh weight), total chlorophyll (respectively 2.38 and 1.9mg g-1 fresh weight) and carotenoids (respectively 193 and 172µg g-1 fresh weight) contents. A2-treated plants had the lowest cell electrolyte leakage at 1.5 dS m-1 (14.27%), 3 dS m-1 (25.31%) and 6 dS m-1 (37.78%). Treating plants with B1 and B2 maximized respectively fruit diameter at 1.5 dS m -1 and water content in all plant parts at 3 dS m-1 . Both products helped plants reducing the adverse effects caused by salinity.