- The effect of salinity, drought and salicylic acid on growth and esterase expression of peanut
- plants were studied. Seeds of peanut were able to germinate even under relatively high
- concentration of NaCl (157.5 mM) or PEG (25%). In general, seedling growth was less tolerant to
- salt stress than vegetative growth stage of peanut plants grown in hydroponic culture containing
- NaCl, vice versa was detected when PEG was used. While the application of 0.1 mM salicylic
- acid (SA), inhibit peanut seed germination, it improved seedling and vegetative growth
- parameters under moderate concentration of NaCl (105 mM). Seedling and vegetative growth
- parameters were significantly reduced by increase the concentrations of PEG. Application of SA
- improved growth parameters of peanut plants subjected to 10% PEG. In hydroponic culture,
- peanut was more sensitive to PEG than NaCl where plants wilted in three days under relatively
- high PEG concentrations. Root of peanut seedlings increased the esterase expression under the
- influence of moderate salinity (105 mM) and drought (10% PEG) stresses through increase the
- number and staining intensity of isoenzyme forms. Increase the number of isoenzyme forms
- and/or staining intensity as an indicator of increased activity of the enzyme was detected when
- peanut plants were hydroponically grown in solution with relatively high NaCl or PEG.
- Application of SA increased the number and/or the staining intensity of isoenzyme forms during
- seedling or vegetative growth in hydroponic culture containing relatively high concentration of
- NaCl or PEG.