Ecotoxicology

, Volume 18, Issue 5, pp 544–554 | Cite as

Salicylic acid alleviates NaCl-induced changes in the metabolism of Matricaria chamomilla plants

  • Jozef Kováčik
  • Bořivoj Klejdus
  • Josef Hedbavny
  • Martin Bačkor
Article
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Abstract

Influence of 100 mM NaCl and 50 μM salicylic acid (SA) and their combination on the metabolism of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) during 7 days was studied. NaCl reduced growth and selected physiological parameters and SA in combined treatment (NaCl + SA) reversed majority of these symptoms. Application of SA reduced NaCl-induced increase of Na+ in the rosettes, but not in the roots. Accumulation of total amino acids was stimulated in NaCl-treated roots, especially due to exceptional increase of proline (4.4-fold). Among phenolic acids, accumulation of protocatechuic acid was the most enhanced in NaCl-exposed leaf rosettes (ca. 3-fold) while chlorogenic and caffeic acids in the roots (2.4- and 2.8-fold, respectively). Total soluble phenols increased after NaCl and SA treatments, but root lignin content was not affected. Activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and shikimate dehydrogenase increased in response to NaCl, but cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase was not affected and polyphenol oxidase decreased. Stress parameters were elevated by NaCl treatment (superoxide radical and malondialdehyde content, activities of catalase, ascorbate- and guaiacol-peroxidase) and substantially prevented by SA, while accumulation of hydrogen peroxide decreased. Overall, SA showed strong beneficial properties against NaCl-induced negative symptoms. Protective effect of SA was the most visible at the level of guaiacol-peroxidase and through amelioration of stress parameters and mineral nutrient contents.

Keywords

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) Mineral nutrition Oxidative stress Phenols Salicylate 

Abbreviations

CAD

Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase

DW

Dry weight

MDA

Malondialdehyde

PAL

Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase

PPO

Polyphenol oxidase

ROS

Reactive oxygen species

SKDH

Shikimate dehydrogenase

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Notes

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (GA ČR 521/02/1367) and partially by the grant of Šafárik University rector for young scientists (to JK, no. VVGS 1/09-10). The authors are grateful to Mrs. Anna Michalčová and BSc. František Štork for their excellent technical assistance and to Prof. Dianne Fahselt (University of Western Ontario, Canada) for proofreading the manuscript.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  • Jozef Kováčik
    • 1
  • Bořivoj Klejdus
    • 2
  • Josef Hedbavny
    • 2
  • Martin Bačkor
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Botany, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of ScienceP. J. Šafárik UniversityKosiceSlovak Republic
  2. 2.Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryMendel University of Agriculture and Forestry BrnoZemědělská 1BrnoCzech Republic

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