Salinity stress increases secondary metabolites and enzyme activity in safflower

• Published in: Industrial crops and products 2015-02, Vol.64, p.175-181
• Main Authors: Gengmao, Zhao, Yu, Han, Xing, Sun, Shihui, Li, Quanmei, Shi, Changhai, Wang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antioxidant enzyme activity; Ion homeostasis; Osmolytes; Safflower; Salt stress; Secondary metabolites
• ISSN: 0926-6690; 1872-633X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2014.10.058

•The tested safflower is a salt-tolerant variety and promising to grow in saline environments.•Salinity increased the antioxidant enzyme activities and osmolytes in safflower leaves.•The secondary metabolite (flavonoid) induced by salinity in safflower was concentrated. Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a salt-tolerant crop cultivated worldwide. However, little information is available on their tolerance mechanism. Owing to decreasing arable land, cultivation of safflower in saline environments might be needed in order to promote crop biomass and secondary metabolites production. The physiological response of the selected species should be examined in order to improve environmental options, especially facing salinity stress. A hydroponic culture experiment was designed to investigate the changes in fundamental physiological processes and secondary metabolite accumulation induced by salinity in safflower (Cv. Space-1). Safflower seedlings were grown in half-strength Hoagland solution and exposed to 0, 50, 100 and 150mM NaCl for 30 days. NaCl concentrations 0.5, suggesting ion homeostasis. Chl-a and Chl-b contents in safflower leaves were negatively affected by salinity, whereas the carotenoid contents remained unchanged with NaCl concentrations