The role of compost tea in mitigating the negative effects of drought stress caused by polyethyleneglycol in chickpea seeds (Adel cultivar) by evaluating germination indices

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Khatam Al-Anbia University of Technology, Behbahan, Iran

2 Education Research Institute, Department of Education, Behbahan, Khuzestan, Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract

Introduction
Growth-reducing factors play a key role in significantly reducing seed germination, reducing plumule length and radicle length growth, reducing seed vigor index and reducing seedling length. The most important of these factors are biological and non-biological stresses that several studies have reported have a significant effect on reducing seed germination. In Iran, chickpea cultivation is usually rainfed (about 92%), the seeds use the moisture stored in the soil and in this case the seeds are exposed to drought stress. Exposure to drought stress will eventually lead to reduced germination, improper posture, reduced plant yield. Water potential is the most important factor in seed germination and its reduction directly affects the physiological processes of germination and indirectly affects seed growth and nutrient reserves. In modern agricultural methods, the use of organic fertilizers to improve seed tolerance to stress conditions is recommended. One of these biological and organic fertilizers is compost and vermicompost. The use of vermicompost in addition to adding to the soil can be in the form of adding vermicompost extract (tea compost) to the soil. The unique properties of vermicompost extract are: 1. Contains beneficial aerobic microorganisms such as Azotobacter, 2. No anaerobic bacteria, fungi and pathogenic microorganisms, 3. High water holding capacity, 4. Humic acid (these substances have it has similar effects to growth regulators and hormones), and 5. Contains macro and micro nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, copper, manganese, iron and zinc. Due to the problem of drought and water shortage in many parts of the country, especially Khuzestan province, the use of modern agricultural methods to increase the yield and yield of crops is essential. The main purpose of this study was whether the use of compost tea can play a role in improving the negative effects of drought stress on the germination stage of chickpea seeds?
 
Materials and Methods
A factorial layout based on a completely randomized design with three replications was conducted at Khatam Al-Anbia University of Technology in Behbahan. The first study was four levels of tea compost such as of 0, 5, 15, 25 and the second treatment was drought stress caused by polyethylene glycol, which included levels of -0.3, -0.6 and -0.9 MPa. In each petri dish, 35 chickpea seeds of Adel cultivar were placed and then the experimental units were numbered based on the studied treatments. Daily examination of petri dishes was continued for 14 days and germinated seeds were harvested from experimental units 15 days after the start of the experiment to measure germination parameters. Characteristics such as percentage, rate and vigor germination, seed vigor index, endosperm consumption, seedling length, plumule and radicle length, plumule and radicle dry weight were measured.
 
Results and Discussion
The results of this study showed that the application of compost tea had a positive and significant effect on all indices of chickpea seed germination, so that the results related to the simple effects of this application showed that the use of 5, 15 and 25% levels of compost tea significantly increased radicle dry weight, plumule dry weight and endosperm consumption. Under drought stress treatment, the results showed that in all germination and growth indices with increasing stress intensity from -0.3 MPa to -0.9 MPa had a significant decrease. In the study of the interaction effects of compost tea and drought stress, it was observed that in non-stress conditions, the levels of compost tea used (5, 15 and 25%) significantly increase germination rate, germination vigor, vigor index seed, radicle length and seedling length were compared to the control treatment. Under stress conditions of -0.3 MPa, all levels of compost tea caused a significant increase in seed vigor index, germination percentage, rate and germination vigor compared to the control and also in these conditions, 15 and 25 levels were able to significantly increase plumule length and seedling length relative to control. Under -0.6 MPa stress, levels of 15 and 25% of compost tea caused a significant increase in germination percentage and germination vigor, seed vigor index, plumule length and seedling length. Under stress conditions of -0.9 MPa, application of compost tea levels (5, 15 and 25%) in comparison with the control treatment significantly increased germination percentage, germination rate, radicle length, plumule length and seedling length. Under these conditions, 15 and 25% of compost tea also significantly increased germination vigor compared to the control treatment.
 
Conclusion
According to the results of this study, application of compost tea (vermicompost extract) at levels of 15 and 25% in conditions where chickpea seeds are exposed to drought stress, is recommended.

Keywords

Main Subjects


  1. Ahmadpour, R., Armand, N., Hosseinzadeh, S., and Chashiani, S. 2016. Selection drought tolerant cultivars of lentil (Lens culinaris) by measuring germination parameters. Iranian Journal of Seed Sciences and Research 3(3): 75-87. (in Persian with English abstratct).
  2. Ahmadpour, R., Mohamadi, F., and Armand, N. 2020. Interactions of seaweed extract (Ascophyllum nodosum) and drought stress on seed germination indicators of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentom.L). Journal of Seed Research 10(2): 31-44. (in Persian with English abstratct).
  3. Ahmadpour, R., Rostami, M., and Hosseinzadeh, S.R. 2019. Influence of compost tea on seedling growth and germination indices of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in order to moderated negative effects caused by drought stress. Journal of Plant Researches 32(3): 474-488. (in Persian with English abstratct).
  4. Amiri, H., Ismaili, A., and Hosseinzadeh, S.R., 2017. Influence of vermicompost fertilizer and water deficit stress on morpho-physiological features of chickpea (Cicer arietinum cv. Karaj). Compost Science and Utilization 26: 1-14.
  5. Arancon, N., Edwards, C., Dick, R., and Dick, L. 2007. Vermicompost tea production and plant growth impacts. Biocycle 12: 51-52.
  6. Arancon, N.Q., Edwards, C.A., Bierman, P., Welch, C., and Metzger J.D. 2004. Influence of vermicompost on field strawberries. Bioresource Technology 93: 145-153.
  7. Archana, P.P., Theodore, J.K.R., Ngyuen, V.H., and Stephen, T. 2009. Vermicompost extracts influence growth, mineral nutrients, phytonutrients and antioxidant activity in pak choi (Brassica rapa cv. Bonsai, Chinensis group) grown under vermicompost and chemical fertiliser. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 89(1): 2383-2392.
  8. Armand, N., Amiri, H., and Ismaili A. 2015. Effect of methanol on germination characteristics of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Sadry) under drought stress condition. Iranian Journal of Pulses Research 6: 42-53. (in Persian with English abstratct).
  9. Atiyeh, R.M., Arancon, N., Edwards, C.A., and Metzger, J.D. 2001. The influence of earthworm processed pig manure on the growth and productivity of marigolds. Bioresource Technology 81(2): 103-108.
  10. Beyk Khurmizi, A., Ganjeali, A., Abrishamchi, P., and Parsa, M. 2010. The effect of vermicompost on salt tolerance of bean seedlings (Phaseolus vulgaris). Agroecology 23: 474-485. (in Persian with English abstratct).
  11. Bibi, N., Hameed, A., Ali, H., Iqbal, N., and Alam, S.S. 2009. Water stress induced variations in protein profiles of germinating cotyledons from seedlings of chickpeas genotypes. Pakistan Journal of Botany 41:731-736.
  12. Edwards, C., Arancon, N., and Greytak, S. 2006. Effects of vermicompost teas on plant growth and disease. Biocycle 47(5): 21-28.
  13. Emmerich, W.E., and Hardegree, P. 1991. Seed germination in polyethylen glycol solution. effect of filter paper exclusion and water vapor loss. Journal of Crop Science 31: 454-458.
  14. Gamze, O., Mehmet Demir, K.A., and Mehmet, A.T. Effects of salt and drought stresses on germination and seedling growth of pea (Pisum sativum L.). Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Foresty 29: 237-242.
  15. Ganjeali, A., Porsa, H., and Bagheri, A., 2011. Assessment of Iranian chickpea (Cicer arietinum) germplasms for drought tolerance. Agriculture Water Management. 98: 1477-1484.
  16. Garcia, M.I., Cruz, S.F., Saavedra, A.L., and Hernandez, M.S. 2002. Extraction of auxin-like substances from compost. Crop Research 24:323-327.
  17. Gopal, M., Gupta, A., Palaniswami, C., Dhanapal, R., and Thomas, G. 2010. Coconut leaf vermiwash: a bio-liquid from coconut leaf vermicompost for improving the crop production capacities of soil. Current Science 98:1202-1210.
  18. Greytak, S., Edwards, C., and Arancon, N. 2006. Effects of vermicompost teas on plant growth and disease. Retrieved August 19, 2006, from. http://www.wormdigest.org
  19. Hosseinzadeh, S.R. 2015. Effect of vermicompost on germination, morphophysiological and biochimical characteristics of chickpea cultivars (Cicer arietinum , cv. Pirouz) and (Cicer arietinum L., cv. Karaj ) under drought stress. Ph.D Dissertation, Lorestan University, Iran.
  20. Hosseinzadeh, S.R., Amiri, H., and Ismaili, A. 2016. Interaction effects of vermicompost extract and drought stress on germination indices of chickpea (Cicer arietinumcv. Pirouz). Iranian Journal of Seed Science and Research 3(1): 75-86. (in Persian with English abstratct).
  21. ISTA: International Seed Testing Association. 2009. International rules for seed testing. Seed Science and Technology 49: 86-41.
  22. Kalefetoglu Macar, T., Turan, O., and Ekmekci, Y. 2009. Effect of water deficit induced by PEG and NaCl on chickpea (Cicer arietinum) cultivars and lines at early seedling stage. Journal of Science 22: 5-14.
  23. Keeling, A.A., McCallum, K.R., and Beckwith, C.P. 2003. Mature green waste compost enhances growth and nitrogen uptake in wheat (Triticum aestivum) and oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) through the action of water-extractable factors. Bioresource Technology 90(2): 127-132.
  24. Mensah, J.K., Obadoni, B.O., Eruotor, P.G., and Onome, F. 2006. Simulated flooding and drought effects on germination, growth and yield parameters of sesame (Sesamum indicum). Africian Journal Biology 5: 1249-1253.
  25. Michael B.E., and M.R. Kaufman. 1976. The osmotic potential of polyethylenglycol-6000. Plant Physiology 51: 914-916.
  26. Mokhtari, I., Abrishamchi, P., and Ganjeali, A. 2009. The effects of Calcium on amelioration of injuries salt stress on seed germination of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentom.L). Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology 22(1): 89-100. (in Persian with English abstratct).
  27. Opoku, G., Davies, M., Zetrio, E.V., and Camble, E.E. 1996. Relationship between seed vigor and yield of white beans (Phaseolos vulgaris L). Plant Variety Seed 9: 119-125.
  28. Rahbarian, R., Khavari-Nejad, R., Ganjeali, A., Bagheri, A.R., and Najafi, F. Drought stress effect on germination and seedling for drought tolerance in chickpea genotypes (Cicer arietinum L.) under control condition. Iranian Journal of Field Crops Research 10(3): 522-531. (in Persian with English abstract).
  29. Sainz, M.J., Taboada-Castro, M.T., and Vilarino, A. 1998. Growth, mineral nutrition and mycorrhizal colonization of red clover and cucumber plants grown in a soil amended with composted urban wastes. Plant and Soil 205:85-92.
  30. Samiran R., Kusum A., Biman K.D., and Ayyanadar A. 2010. Effect of organic amendments of soil on growth and productivity of three common crops viz. Zea mays, Phaseolus vulgaris and Abelmoschus esculentus. Applied Soil Ecology 45: 78-84.
  31. Warman, P.R., and Anglopez, M.J. 2010. Vermicompost derived from different feedstocks as a plant growth medium. Bioresource Technology 101: 4479-
  32. Zaller J.G. 2007. Vermicompost as a substitute for peat in potting media: Effects on germination, biomass allocation, yields and fruit quality of three tomato varieties. Science Horticulture 112:191-199.
  33. Zambare, V.P., Padul, M.V., Yadav, A., and Shete, T.B. 2008. Browse and download vermiwash biochemical and microbiological approach as ecofriendly soil conditioner. Journal of Agriculture and Biology Science 3:1-5.
CAPTCHA Image