The effect of methyl jasmonate and different chloride concentrations on photosynthetic pigments and proline content in Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Cooker 347

Jasmonic acid and its methylated ester (methyl jasmonate)، as natural plant growth regulators، are widely found in plants. In this study، the effect of methyl jasmonate (30 μM)، in the early stages of Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Cooker 347 growth، on photosynthetic pigments and proline was studied at high concentration of chloride. This experiment was performed in randomized complete block design with 4 replications، during 2011 crop year at Guilan Tobacco Research Center، outside greenhouse and under pot conditions. After transplanting similar seedlings to pots in rapid growth phase، the plants were irrigated with three levels chloride (50، 150 and 300 mg/L) as CaCl2 both in presence and absence of methyl jasmonate for 4 weeks. Data analysis showed that by increasing Cl- concentrations up to 300 (mg/L)، chloride and calcium accumulation of leaves increased، whilst photosynthetic pigments and proline decreased. Exogenous application of methyl jasmonate (30 μM) significantly increased photosynthetic pigments in all treatments and proline in the 300 mg/L treatment. It seemed that the application of external methyl jasmonate (30 µM) could improve tobacco plant injuries at high chloride concentration.