Responses of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus.) Root to Foliar Application of Methanol under Water Deficit Stress

Water shortage in root environment is the main factor limiting crop growth and productivity in dry regions. There are many reports on the role of methanol spraying for increasing drought tolerance in C3 plants. For this reason, a factorial experiment was conducted using completely randomized block design with 3 replications at Khatam Alanbia University of Behbahan. Methanol applied with five levels; (control, 5, 15, 25 and 35% v/v) and water deficit stress with three levels: irrigation at 100% of field capacity, moderate water stress, irrigation at 75% of field capacity and severe water stress, irrigation at 25% of field capacity. Foliar application of methanol was applied 3 times during the growing season (at seedling, flowering and podding stages) with 10-days intervals. Results showed that the interactions of methanol × drought on the root dry weight, root diameter, root length (p<0.05) and root area (p<0.01) were significant. In normal irrigation conditions, methanol spraying 5, 15 and 25% increased significantly root dry weight as compared to control. Also, the interactions of methanol ×drought on protein and proline were significant (p<0.01). Methanol spraying incresed significantly root proline and protein contents. Interactions of methanol and drought on sodium and potasium consentration, (p<0.05) and calcium (p<0.01) was significant. Interactions of methanol ×drought on root activities of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase were significant (p<0.05). Also, the effect of drought stress on catalase enzyme activity was significant (p<0.01). Methanol spraying decreased root activities of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase, significantly.