Effect of salicylic acid on physiological and biochemical parameters on resistant and sensitive chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes under drought stress

In order to study the effect of drought stress and salicylic acid on parameters of physiology (membrane stability index) and biochemical (photosynthetis pigments) an experiment was conducted under four drought levels, based on Field Capacity (100% FC, 75% FC, 50% FC, 25% FC) and treatment of Salicylic acid (0, 0.7 mM) using a completely randomized design with three replications. The results showed increasing drought levels significantly decreased all parameters except chlorophyll a/b ratio in two genotypes. Application of salicylic acid (0.7 Mm) significantly increased membrane stability index and carotenoids in MCC358 genotype and also increased chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll content in MCC441 genotype. It seems that inhibitory effect of drought stress in MCC441 genotype was more effective than MCC358 genotype. Also, Application of salicylic acid could not improve growth parameters in MCC441genotype.