Efecto mitigante del ácido salicílico y nitrato en las relaciones hídricas y ajuste osmótico en maíz, cv. Lluteño expuesto a salinidad

We analyzed the mitigating effect of NO₃^- and salicylic acid (SA) on the detrimental effects of salt stress by studying the water status of plants of maize grown in Hoagland's medium with NaCl 100 mM as the saline component, to which SA and NO₃^- were added in different concentrations as mitigating agents. We evaluated water potential (Ψ_w), osmotic potential (Ψ_s), relative water content (RWC), turgor potential (Ψ_p), and the osmotic adjustment (OA) of leaves and roots. SA 0.5 mM mitigated the effects of salinity by increasing the Ψ_w of the leaf, the Ψ_s of the root, the Ψ_p of the leaf, RWC and OA of the leaf; while NO₃^- was only effective in combination with SA, mitigating the effects of salinity by increasing RWC and OA. However, the interaction SA-NO₃^- reduced leaf Ψw and Ψ_s of leaves and roots. Mitigation of salt stress was also detected by a positive effect on plant growth. The greatest effect on growth was produced by the NO₃^- treatments and SA 0.5 mM combined with NO₃^-.