Impact of foliarly applied morigna leaf extract for the mitigation of salt stress in Chenopodium quinoa genotypes: growth, physiological and ionic modifications
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Salinity poses a significant threat to crop production and food security, particularly in regions like Pakistan where salt-tolerant crop options are limited. While some salt-tolerant forage species exist, the need for salt-tolerant cereal crops is crucial. Quinoa, a pseudo-cereal renowned for its high nutritional value and tolerance to abiotic stresses including salinity, presents a promising solution. Under saline conditions, quinoa's protein content can increase, but overall productivity is often reduced. This limitation can potentially be addressed by applying moringa leaf extract (MLE), a natural biostimulant rich in micronutrients, antioxidants, and growth promoters. To investigate this, a greenhouse experiment was conducted at two salinity levels (ECe = 10 and 20 dS m⁻¹) to assess the effects of foliar MLE application on quinoa grain production and nutritional attributes. The experiment utilized a completely randomized design with three replicates. Post-harvest analysis revealed that foliar MLE application positively influenced quinoa growth, significantly enhancing its salt tolerance. This improvement is attributed to MLE's chemical composition, which facilitated reduced sodium (Na⁺) accumulation and increased potassium (K⁺) and calcium (Ca²⁺) concentrations in both leaves and seeds, ultimately improving plant growth and yield. Notably, among the genotypes tested, UAF-Q7 exhibited greater inherent salt tolerance than UAF-Q9, with MLE application further augmenting this resilience. This study highlights the potential of foliar MLE application as a viable strategy to mitigate salinity stress in quinoa, especially in salt-affected agricultural regions of Pakistan, contributing to enhanced food security
Authors: Tayyaba Naz, Muhammad Mazhar Iqbal, Usman Ali, Mehwish Shafeeq, Sehar Nawaz, Noor ul Ain, Mahwish Kanwal, Fariha Amin, Muhammad Nawaz, Ahmad Nadeem, Zafar Iqbal, Rab Nawaz, Muhammad Bilal Khan, Muhammad Imran, Muhammad Atif Ghafoor, Ali Afzal, Muhammad Iqbal Hussain, Khurram Shahzad
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4405972444