ISSN 2375-1134
African Journal of Agriculture ISSN 2375-1134 Vol. 7 (3), pp. 001-006, March, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
The Physiological responses of sunflower (HELIANTHUS ANNUUS L.) to NiSO4
Farzaneh Najafi1*, Ramazan Ali Khavari-Nejad1,2 and Fatemeh Hasanjanzadeh1
1Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Tarbiat Moallem University, P.O.Box 15815-3587, Tehran, Iran.
2Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran.
Accepted 21 February, 2020
Abstract
The effects of different concentrations of nickel sulfate (NiSO4) on some physiological parameters in sunflower (HELIANTHUS ANNUUS L.) were studied. Sunflower plants were treated with NiSO4 at 0, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 40 µM in Hoagland solutions. With the increasing concentrations of NiSO4, all the growth parameters increased. The highest significant increase of NAR and RGR were obtained with 16 µM NiSO4. Control and treated plants had similar chlorophylls and unsoluble sugars contents. Total soluble sugars and protein contents were increased in high concentrations of NiSO4. Addition of all nickel concentrations had a significant promotive effect on Mn, Fe and Ni contents in leaves and roots as compared to that of control. Malondialdehyde (MAD) and respiration rate were significantly increased in high concentrations, however, photosynthetic rate and RWC decreased in all concentrations of NiSO4.
Key words: Sunflower, nickel, malondialdehyde, growth parameters, gas exchange.