A study on the effect of seaweed extract carrageenan and salicylic acid (as bio stimulants) on growth and tolerance to chilling stress in bedding plant Impatiens Walleriana

Carrageenan and salicylic acid are bio stimulants that are involved in stress resistance by affecting the physiological and biochemical processes of the plant. In this study, carrageenan in two concentrations of 0.5 and 1 g / l and salicylic acid in 0.5 and 1mM concentrations were used for foliar application. This study was performed by factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with three replications. The pretreatments were applied in 6-leaf stage and the solutions were sprayed on the plant five times in the early morning in 10 days. One day after the last pretreatment, a number of pots were transferred to the refrigerator for 24 hours at a temperature of 5 °C for chilling stress, then the pots were returned to the greenhouse and after one day, samples of plant were collected from control and cold tressed pots. In this study, it was observed that pretreatment of plants with carrageenan and salicylic acid increased all growth parameters, osmolytes (include soluble sugars and proline), antioxidant enzymes include catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and guaiacol peroxidase activity, but reduced the oxidative stress index such as ion leakage, malondaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide content. The best results were obtained with the use of carrageenan 1 g / l and 0.5 mM salicylic acid. These results indicate that carrageenan and salicylic acid increased the resistance to cold stress in Impatiens flowers by increasing the protective parameters of the plant.It seems that these compounds as bio stimulants can be suitable for managing cold stress in other ornamental plants and can be used to reduce the chilling stress of autumn and winter in plants.