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Research Journal of Soil Biology

Year: 2014 | Volume: 6 | Issue: 1 | Page No.: 1-16
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Authors

Pramod Kumar Singh

Praveen Kumar

Pramod Kumar Tandon

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Research Article

Soil Sodicity Alters Antioxidative Enzymes, Photosynthetic Pigments, Water Content and Essential Oil Quality of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)

Pramod Kumar Singh, Praveen Kumar and Pramod Kumar Tandon
Soil sodicity is worldwide problem in arid and semi-arid region. In India large areas of sodic soils exist. Screening of commercial crops for their tolerance towards sodicity can encourage farmers to grow them on these lands thereby rehabilitating them. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a cash crop and its aromatic fruit is used as condiment and also in traditional and modern medicine. A soil pot culture study was conducted to assess salt tolerance status of fennel in sodic soils. The plants were raised on soil having different levels [10, 20, 25, 35 and 40 ESP (exchangeable sodium percentage)] of soil sodicity in complete randomized design. Various parameters such as plant growth, biomass, activities of anti-oxidative enzymes, water content, proline accumulation, concentration of photosynthetic pigments, cation concentration and essential oil quality were studied. Results indicated that increasing soil sodicity resulted in significant decreases in plant growth, biomass and leaf water potential (Ψ became more negative). However, cell sap pH, electrical conductivity, sodium concentration and proline accumulation were increased. Increasing soil sodicity increased activities of antioxidant enzymes like catalase and superoxide dismutase while peroxidase and nitrate reductase declined. The chlorophylls and carotenoid concentration decreased at higher sodicity while carotenoids/chlorophyll ratio increased. Seed quality improved at higher ESP. The gas chromatogram for essential oil revealed that improved seed quality resulted from increased trans-Anethole (sweetness of seed) and decreased d-fenchone (bitterness of seed) content. Thus, fennel crops can be recommended for growth in sodic soils (ESP up to 25) with economic gains.
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How to cite this article

Pramod Kumar Singh, Praveen Kumar and Pramod Kumar Tandon, 2014. Soil Sodicity Alters Antioxidative Enzymes, Photosynthetic Pigments, Water Content and Essential Oil Quality of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.). Research Journal of Soil Biology, 6: 1-16.

DOI: 10.3923/rjsb.2014.1.16

URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=rjsb.2014.1.16

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