Improving oil and flavonoid contents of milk thistle under water stress by salicylic acid

Abstract

Adverse environmental conditions such as water deficit can limit production. However, some of these adverse effects may be overcome by application of plant growth regulators including salicylic acid (SA). Thus, a field experiment was conducted in 2015 to evaluate the effects of SA (0 and 1 mM l-1) on yield components, seed yield and oil and flavonoid contents of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) under different irrigation treatments (I1, I2, I3 and I4: irrigation after 70, 110, 150 and 190 mm evaporation from class A pan, respectively). The experiment was arranged as split-plot based on randomized complete block (RCB) design in three replicates. Irrigation treatments and SA levels were located in the main and sub plots, respectively. The results indicated that plant biomass, seeds per plant, 1000 seed weight, seed yield per unit area and harvest index of milk thistle decreased as a consequence of water stress. Oil percentage and yield were also reduced, but flavonoid content enhanced with increasing water deficit. All these traits were considerably augmented by foliar application of SA under non-stress and stressful conditions. Therefore, it was conclude that SA can be used to improve field performance of milk thistle under different environmental conditions.