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AMELIORATIVE EFFECTS OF DI-POTASSIUM HYDROGEN ORTHOPHOSPHATE ON SALT-STRESSED AND NON-STRESSED EGGLANT (Solanum melongena L.)

Two pot experiments were carried out with Eggplant (Solanium melongena L.) cv. Topaz F1 in sand culture to investigate the effects of foliar application of 10 mM K2HPO4to plants grown under NaCl concentration (50 mM) supplied via roots and in complete nutrient solution. Treatments were (1) nutrient solution (C); (2) nutrient solution + 10 mM K2HPO4 as foliar application (C+PK); (3) nutrient solution + 50 mM NaCl (C+S); and (4) nutrient solution + 50 mM sodium chloride + 10 mM K2HPO4 as a foliar application twice weekly (C+S+PK). The plants grown at NaCl had less vegetative growth, dry matter, leaf total sugar content and fruit yield than those grown in normal nutrient solution in both years, however, leaf free phenols was not changed by salinity treatment. Foliar K2HPO4 sprays ameliorated the negative effects of salinity on plant growth and fruit yield as well as increased leaf free phenols content. Sodium concentration in plant tissues increased in NaCl treatment and the sodium uptake was not reduced by application of K2HPO4, however, leaf total sugar content was decreased by spraying K2HPO4. Concentrations of K, Ca and P in shoots and roots were in the deficient range in plants grown at NaCl and these deficiencies were corrected by foliar application K2HPO4. Free phenol, potassium and calcium were increased in stored fruits under room conditions and this increase was more by preharvest foliar spray with K2HPO4 compared with fresh harvested fruits. Total sugar content was decreased in stored fruits compared with fresh harvested fruits and the application of K2HPO4 lowered this decrease. High fruit sodium content was found in stored fruits, however, the pre-harvest foliar spray with K2HPO4 lowered the sodium accumulation in fruits compared with the untreated one. In conclusion, results support the hypothesis that supplemental K2HPO4 would ameliorates the inhibitory effects of NaCl stress in eggplant.