COMPARISON AND SYNERGISTIC IMPACT OF ALOE VERA LEAF EXTRACT AND SALICYLIC ACID ON THE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ADAPTATION OF CACAO CULTIVARS TO SALINE STRESS

Z ALI; MA RAZA; M AWAIS; MF SHAHEEN; MM JAMEEL; MT ALI; M AZEEM; Q RAMZAN; M REHAN; Q HAYYAT

doi:10.64013/bbasr.v2026i1.118

Authors

Z ALI Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, P.O BOX. 54590, Lahore, Pakistan
MA RAZA Department of Food Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
M AWAIS Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, P.O BOX. 54590, Lahore, Pakistan
MF SHAHEEN Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, P.O BOX. 54590, Lahore, Pakistan
MM JAMEEL Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, P.O BOX. 54590, Lahore, Pakistan
MT ALI Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, P.O BOX. 54590, Lahore, Pakistan
M AZEEM Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Q RAMZAN Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture Sciences and Technology, Bahaudin Zakria University, Multan, Pakistan
M REHAN Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, P.O BOX. 54590, Lahore, Pakistan
Q HAYYAT Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, P.O BOX. 54590, Lahore, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64013/bbasr.v2026i1.118

Keywords:

Theobroma cacao, Salt stress, Aloe vera extract, Salicylic acid, Antioxidant defense

Abstract

Salinity is one of the significant abiotic stress factors that accentuate the growth of Theobroma cacao L., severely limiting its growth, physiological performance, and yield potential. The current paper examined the role of Aloe vera leaf extract (AVE) and salicylic acid (SA) used individually and in combinations in the physiological and biochemical responses of two cacao plants (CCN-51 and ICS-95), under 100 mM NaCl-induced salinity. Salinity had a huge impact on reducing the growth of the plants, the ratio of water to the material (RWC), chlorophyll pigmentation, and the concentration of potassium (K⁺), and elevated electrolyte leakage (EL), sodium (Na⁺) accumulation, and the indicators of oxidative stress. Foliar treatment of SA and AVE as a single or combined agent had significant alleviating effects against salt stress, which included the maintenance of membrane stability, osmotic adjustment, antioxidant defense system strengthening, and ionic homeostasis. The SA+AVE treatment had the strongest effect on the increase in chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase), and K⁺/Na⁺ ratio, and a significant decrease in the electrolyte leakage and Na⁺. CCN-51 was found to have a relatively high salt tolerance among the two cultivars, and this is related to an effective antioxidant mechanism and high ability to lose ions. On the whole, the combination of Aloe vera extract and salicylic acid is a potentially dependable and environmentally friendly approach that allows to increase salt tolerance and cacao yield in a salty environment.

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