The Melatonin Effects on Biochemical Parameters and Antioxidant Defense System of the Basil Plant (Ocimum basilicum L.) under Copper and Zinc Toxicity

The present research was conducted with the aim of evaluating the effect of melatonin treatment on the tolerance of basil plants to the excess of copper and zinc mineral elements.

The effect of melatonin treatment (at two levels of 0 and 100 micromolar) on the tolerance of basil plants to the excess of mineral elements copper (50 and 150 μM) and zinc (50 and 100 μM) as factorial layout based on a completely randomized design with 3 replications and at 2017 in greenhouse conditions at Graduate University of Advanced Technology, Kerman Done.

The triple effect of melatonin and zinc and copper and the double effect of melatonin and zinc on the relative water content of leaves, total chlorophyll, carotenoid, protein, soluble and reduced sugar, anthocyanin and flavonoid were significant at 1% probability level. Membrane stability indices and relative water content of leaves were improved by applying melatonin in the basil plant separately and together with copper and zinc metals. The amount of reducing sugars, chlorophyll, and carotenoids decreased under the influence of zinc and copper toxicity.

melatonin by improving physiological characteristics, especially membrane stability, as well as flavonoid compounds, anthocyanin, and glutathione; It led to the reduction of the negative effects caused by excessive amounts of copper and zinc, especially at a concentration of 50 micromolar of these two metals on growth parameters.