Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study investigated the effects of foliar and root application of kinetin hormone on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seedlings exposed to salt stress. The experiment was conducted in a hydroponic and climate-controlled room at the Horticultural Physiology Laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture, Van Yuzuncu Yıl University. Seedlings were treated with 50 mM NaCl and 30 mg kg⁻¹ kinetin after developing 3–4 true leaves; morphological parameters, total plant weight, root, stem and leaf weights, number of leaves, plant height, stem diameter, internode distance, and stress scale values were evaluated. The results showed that foliar application of kinetin limited the damage caused by salt stress and better protected growth parameters. In contrast, root application of kinetin, both alone and in combination with salt, increased stress scale values and significantly suppressed plant development. These results indicate that foliar application allows the hormone to act quickly and effectively in the leaf tissue, preserving photosynthetic capacity and pigments; while root application suppresses root growth and architecture, limiting water and nutrient uptake. Consequently, the kinetin application method stands out as a decisive factor in the response of cucumber seedlings to salt stress.
Authors: AKTAŞ, Halide, ÜZAL, Özlem
Language: Turkish
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7156623685