Abstract

INFLUENCE OF SALINITY ON MORPHO-PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERS OF GERMAN CHAMOMILE (MATRICARIA CHAMOMILLA L.)

Deepika, Umesh Kumar Varshney, Punesh Sangwan, Manogya, Sunder Singh, Preeti

ABSTRACT

An experiment was conducted under natural conditions of screen house to study/estimate the seedling growth, stem and branches dry weight, days to flower initiation, days to maturity, flower heads dry weight and biochemical constituents such as total soluble carbohydrate, proline, oil content and chlorophyll content under the influence of chloride and sulphate dominated salinity in German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla Linn), an annual herb at varying EC level 0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 dSm-1 at vegetative and flowering stage. Results revealed that the growth and yield of German chamomile subsequent to seedling establishment are also adversely affected by the buildup of salinity in the growing medium. Chloride and sulphate dominated salinities influenced the various growth and yield parameters differently. The parameters such as leaf dry weight/plant, stem and branches dry weight/plant, root dry weight/plant, flower heads dry weight all suffered a decline with the increasing salinity levels of the growing medium. Sulphate dominated salinity was found more depressive than chloride dominated salinity with regard to above mentioned parameters except stem & branches dry weight/plant which remained indifferent to the two salinity types. Experimental findings evince not only a substantial delay in flower initiation but also an early maturity of German chamomile under salinity stress. The accumulation of TSC (total soluble carbohydrates) and proline in leaf cells with the successive increase of EC level at the vegetative as well as flowering stage. Under salt stress both total soluble carbohydrate as well as proline were found to increase from vegetative to flowering stage and their accumulation was relatively higher under sulphate dominated salinity as compared to chloride dominated salinity. Inspite of better osmotic adjustment under sulphate dominated salinity treatments; the sulphate ions were more deleterious to the plants. Total chlorophyll content declined in the leaves with the increase of salinity at the vegetative and flowering stage. Oil content of air dried flowers remained almost unaffected upto 8 dSm-1 EC levels but thereafter it declined with increasing EC levels. This reduction in oil content was highest under sulphate dominated salinity as compared to chloride dominated salinity German chamomile appears to be highly salt tolerant medicinal herb as it plants survived and reproduced at the highest salinity level (16 dSm-1) used irrespective of the salinity type. This herb can therefore be grown in crop field or wastelands affected by salts.

Keywords: Total soluble carbohydrates, Proline, oil content, Salinity, German chamomile, Yield.