Amelioration of salinity stress by exogenous application of KH/sub 2/PO/sub 4/ on brassica campestris L

This investigation was conducted to assess the possible impact of exogenously applied potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4) in alleviating salinity-induced stress in mustard plants (Brassica campestris L.). A pot experiment was conducted under field conditions with one plant/pot. After 30 days, plants were divided into eight groups i.e., A: Control (without salt and KH2PO4) B: Plants irrigated with 60 mM salt and without KH2PO4, C: Plants irrigated with 80 mM salt and without KH2PO4, D: Plants irrigated with 100 mM salt and without KH2PO4, E: Plant treated with 0.5 mM KH2PO4 alone, F: with 0.5 M KH2PO4 and 60 mM salt, G: with 0.5 M KH2PO4 and 80 mM salt, H: with 0.5 M KH2PO4 and 100 mM salt. According to the study's findings, salt significantly decreased all developmental and metabolic indicators. Nevertheless, the application of KH2PO4, at a concentration of 0.5 mM demonstrated its remarkable utility in enhancing growth and mitigating the negative consequences of salinity stress. The enhancement in growth could potentially be attributed to its comprehensive ameliorative properties, given that KH2PO4 is recognized for triggering seed germination, facilitating water absorption, and potentially functioning as a signaling molecule in saline environments. This study suggests that there is a possibility that suitable concentrations of KH2PO4 may be quite helpful in boosting plant growth and yield under stressful environments. (author)