Abstract
Salicylic acid (SA) is a plant hormone that stimulates the growth and metabolism of plants, also acting as an abiotic elicitor. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of SA on leaf production, leaf area and synthesis of secondary compounds in yarrow plants. The experiments were conducted under field conditions in two consecutive years and f-received SA foliar applications (T1-control; T2-1.0 mmol L−1 applications at 20, 60 and 100 days after planting (DAP) and T3-1.0 mmol L−1 applications at 100 DAP during 3 days). The exogenous application of SA resulted in increases in leaf area (total and specific), number of leaves and leaf mass ratio of yarrow plants, polyphenolic compounds, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and chalcone synthase enzymes and the antioxidant activity of the plant extract. The HPLC–DAD–MS/MS analysis of phenolic compounds revealed increases in the amounts of quinic acid and rutin. The results of this research lead us to affirm that SA exerted both the hormonal effect on number of leaves and leaf area, and also acted as eliciting substance.
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This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brazil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001, the Universidade do Oeste Paulista (Unoeste – Presidente Prudente) and the São Paulo State University (Unesp – Assis and Araraquara).
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PHG participated in the data collection, designed the experiments, data analysis and wrote the manuscript. ALM, JFAS, RRM, GRM, JMP, CBZ and KDS participated in data collection and laboratory analysis. JLBJ performed the chromatographic analysis. ACP and RMGS guided every step of the work and participated in the drafting and review of the project and of the article.
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Gorni, P.H., Pacheco, A.C., Lima Moro, A. et al. Elicitation Improves the Leaf Area, Enzymatic Activities, Antioxidant Activity and Content of Secondary Metabolites in Achillea millefolium L. Grown in the Field. J Plant Growth Regul 40, 1652–1666 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-020-10217-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-020-10217-x