Exogenous application of salicylic acid on the mitigation of salt stress in Capsicum annuum L.

ABSTRACT: Salinity has limited conventional vegetable cultivation, especially in semi-arid regions. In this regard, the use of elicitors that act to induce tolerance to salt stress, such as salicylic acid, has emerged as a promising alternative. This study evaluated the effects of foliar spraying with salicylic acid on the mitigation of salt stress on the morphophysiology and production of bell pepper cv. All Big. The study was conducted in a greenhouse in Campina Grande - PB, Brazil, adopting a completely randomized design, in a 4 x 4 factorial arrangement, corresponding to four levels of electrical conductivity of irrigation water (0.8; 1.6; 2.4; and 3.2 dS m-1) and four concentrations of salicylic acid (0; 1.2; 2.4 and 3.6 mM), with three replicates. The foliar application of salicylic acid at a concentration of 1.6 mM attenuated the effects of salt stress in gas exchange, growth, mean fruit weight, and total production per plant, and decreased the percentage of intercellular electrolyte leakage of sweet pepper cv. All Big plants, at 80 days after sowing.