Antioxidant activities during drought stress resistance of sesame (sesamum indicum l.) plant by salicylic acid and kinetin

Abstract

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is an annual plant that belongs to the Pedallaceae family. Sesame is considered to be the oldest oil seed plantand is widely cultivated as an oil-crop in tropical and subtropical climates. Drought stressed sesame plants were exogenously treated with phytohormones (Salicylic Acid (SA) and Kinetin (Kin)). The experiment was designed into 4 groups: control, drought stress, drought treated with SA (0.1, 0.5 and 1 mM) and drought treated with Kin (0.05,0.1 and 0.5 mM). Drought stress caused significant decrease in total seed oil contents and activities of catalase and peroxidase enzymes while on treatment of drought stressed sesame plants with SA or Kinincreased all previousantioxidant substances. On theother hand,drought stresscaused significant increase in phenolic compounds and activity of L-amino acid oxidase, moreover on treatments with SA and Kin improved all previous antioxidant substances in drought stressed sesame plants. The different seed oil extracts of all groups exhibited significant antimicrobial activities against tested bacteria and fungi. In conclusion, exogenous application of drought stressed sesame plants with SA or Kin activate antioxidant systems to resist drought stress.