Authors : Sara Karimi, Hossein Abbaspour, Jafar Masoud Sinaki and Hassan Makarian
Abstract: Drought is the most significant factor restricting plant production on majority of agricultural fields of the world. In order to study the effects of drought stress and chitosan foliar on antioxidant enzymes and proline content of three castor bean cultivars under field conditions. The results showed that with an increase in the intensity of drought stress on castor bean cultivars there was a increased CAT, POD enzymes activity. That highest CAT activity related to drought stress levels (D2, D3) and the most POD activity from of D3: Drought stress in beginning seedling stage. Between cultivars no had significant but factorial effect (Drought stress*cultivar) had a significant(p<0.05) highest CAT activity related to D2: Drought in beginning flowering stage, V2: Ahvaz cultivar. Also drought stress caused increase significant (p<0.05) in proline content. There is chitosan foliar effect a significant (p<0.01) on CAT enzyme and POD mean comparison of CAT activity shows that highest CAT activity related to D2: Drought stress, M2: Chitosan foliar and maximum POD activity from of D3: Drought stress in beginning seedling and M2: Chitosan foliar. From this study, it is suggested that the severity of castor bean plant damaged from drought was reduced by chitosan application.
Sara Karimi, Hossein Abbaspour, Jafar Masoud Sinaki and Hassan Makarian, 2012. Evaluation of Drought Stress and Foliar Chitosan on Biochemical Characterices of Castor Bean (Ricinus communis L.). Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 7: 117-122.