abstract
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Salinity is a main environment stress that affects adversely growth along with productiveness of plants in many areas of the world. Natural compounds as aspartic acid could improve plant tolerance against stress factors. Therefore, a factorial pot trial in a completely randomized design was conducted to examine the potential role of exogenous application of aspartic acid (Asp) in increasing the tolerance of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants against saltness stress. Wheat plants were sown with different levels of salinity (0, 30 or 60 mM NaCl) were treated with three levels of exogenous application ofaspartic acid (Asp) (0, 0.4, 0.6 or 0.8 mM) foliar sprayed twice. Outcomes of study indicated that salinity stress decreased growth attributers like length of shoot, leaf area and shoot biomass along with photosynthesis pigments and endogenous indole acetic acid. Total carbohydrates, total flavonoid content, beta carotene, lycopene and free radical scavenging activity (DPPH%) were reduced due to NaCl stress. However, Asp application enhanced photosynthetic pigments, endogenous indole acetic acid, consequently improving plant leaf area, leading to higher biomass dry weight either under salt-stressed or non-stressed-plants. Exogenous application of Asp up-regulated the antioxidant system viz. antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase and nitrate reductase), and non-enzymatic antioxidants (ascorbate, glutathione, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, beta carotene, lycopene) contents resultant in declined accretion of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The decreased ROS in Asp treating plants resulted in reduced hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxidation (MDA), and aldehyde either under salt or non-salt stress conditions. Moreover, Asp foliar application increased compatible solute accumulation (amino acids, proline, total soluble sugar, and total carbohydrates), and increased radical scavenging activity of DPPH and enzymatic ABTS. Results revealed that 100% of the disparity in shoot dry weight (SDW) yield is explicated through the quadratic regression model. With increase Asp application level by 1.0 mM, the SDW was projected to upsurge through 956 mg per plant. In the quadratic curve model, if Asp is applied at a level of 0.95 mM, the SDW is probable to be 2.13 g/plant. It could be concluded that exogenous aspartic acid application significantly mitigated the damage on wheat plants due to salt stress. Thus, application of aspartic acid is more possibly due to its economic benefits under salt stress.