Effect of growth regulators onVicia faba plants irrigated by sea water Leaf area, pigment content and photosynthetic activity

Abstract

The antagonistic effects of some growth regulators [i.e. indol-3-yl-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA3) or kinetin] on stress imposed by sea water on leaf area, pigment and photosynthetic activity in leaves of broad bean plants at different stages of development were investigated. Seed priming with GA3 alleviated either partially or completely the effects induced by the two levels of sea water (10 and 25 %) used on leaf area at all experimental stages. However, IAA, GA3 and kinetin inhibited leaf growth by themselves in almost all measurements. Seed pretreatment with kinetin alleviated the inhibition of pigment production in sea water-irrigated plants. Furthermore, GA3 or kinetin nullified the deleterious effects imposed by irrigation with sea water particularly the high level (25 %) on photosynthetic14CO2 fixation.