ABSTRACT Soil salinization is more aggravating than ever before and techniques are needed to mitigate this problem; understanding salinity-fertilizer relationship is of considerable economic importance for promoting crop growth and productivity in saline soil. A pot experiment was done in a greenhouse to determine whether the N could alleviate the negative effect of different salts compositions on the growth, and physiological attributes of the two most used Sudan sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) cultivars (Wadahmed and Tabat). The plant was subjected to the salt stress at 0, 0.3419 M NaCl, and 0.1408 M Na2SO4, and four levels of N application 0, 4, 8, and 12 g N kg-1 soil, designated as N0, N1, N2, and N3, respectively. Results showed that Na2SO4 was reduced plant height, leaf area index, number of leaves, dry weight (DW), chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll content, and increased soluble protein content, activities of peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities by 16.4%, 29.7%, 61.5%, 28.7%, 39.6%, 12.7%, 99.7%, 34.3%, 51.8%, respectively, when compared with the non-saline treatment. The Na2SO4 salt had a more harmful effect than NaCl. This study revealed that N fertilizer was successful for alleviating the adverse impacts of both types of salt. In this study, 12 g N kg-1 soil was most effective on most of the measured parameters of two sorghum cultivars. These findings demonstrated that the N soil amendment application could alleviate the harmful impact of salinity. ‘Wadahmed’ was more tolerant to salinity stress than ‘Tabat’ during the boot stage of sorghum plant.

ABSTRACT Salinity stress is one of the most prevalent environmental factors that severely affect seed germination, early growth stages, and crop production. The present study was carried out to evaluate the protective role of β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) in alleviating salt stress in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) varieties (Jabel Marra, Porgeg and Shendi) under four concentrations of NaCl solutions (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM NaCl). Three levels of β-aminobutyric acid (0, 0.25, and 0.50 mM) were applied. Germination and seedling attributes were measured. A high level of salinity (150 mM NaCl) increased mean germination time by 10.0% and decreased the coefficient velocity of germination and root dry weight by 12.1% and 96.2%, respectively, compared with the control. ‘Jabel Marra’ significantly surpassed other studied varieties in germination characters, while at seedling growth, ‘Shendi’ outperformed other varieties in root and shoot length, fresh, and dry weights. Seeds treated with 0.25 mM BABA caused increment on water uptake by 18.1% compared with 0.0 mM BABA. At 150 mM NaCl, seeds primed with 0.50 mM BABA increased the germination percentage of ‘Jabel Marra’ and ‘Porgeg’ by 6.3% and 11.9% as compared with 0.0 mM BABA. Under 50 mM NaCl and 0.50 mM BABA, root length, shoot length, shoot fresh weight, and root dry weight were increased by 170.6%, 44.8%, 80%, and 49.3%, respectively, relative to 0.0 mM BABA. The present study results suggested that seed priming by BABA could be useful to alleviate the salinity stress of chickpea at germination and early seedling growth.

ABSTRACT Drought and temperature stresses are known as primary factors limiting germination and seedling growth. Seed priming with plant growth regulators is one of the popular approaches to minimize adverse environmental stresses. This study was carried out to examine the role of seed priming with 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) at different levels (0, 25, 50, and 100 mg L-1) in germination and seedling growth of three wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) ‘Emam’, ‘Gomria’, and ‘Zakia’ under high temperature and drought stresses using a range of temperatures (25, 30, and 35 ℃) and water potentials (0.0 and -0.5 MPa). Water uptake, germination and early seedling growth attributes were measured. Drought stress and high temperature decreased germination%, germination index, and shoot fresh weight by 39.2%, 35.4%, and 48.6%, respectively, as compared with 0.0 MPa and 25 ℃. Seeds of ‘Zakia’ primed with 50 mg L-1 5-ALA at -0.5 MPa, and 35 ℃ increased fresh and dry weights of the root by 19.8% and 68.4% relative to 0 mg L-1. For interaction between variety and 5-ALA, the highest germination% (90.3%) was recorded in ‘Emam’ with 50 mg L-1 5-ALA. Treatment 100 mg L-1 5-ALA decreased mean germination time by 24.5% and 28.9% at 25 and 35 ℃, respectively; 50 mg L-1 5-ALA increased seedling vigor index by 16.3% as compared with 0.0 mg L-1 at -0.5 MPa and 35 ℃. The 5-ALA enhanced water imbibition of the three varieties under drought and temperature stresses. This study suggested that seed priming with 5-ALA is a possible way to mitigate the negative effects produced by drought and temperature stresses on germination and early seedling growth of wheat.

ABSTRACT Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedling establishment is very sensitive to temperature and drought stresses. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of foliar exogenous 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) application on wheat seedling under different temperature (25, 30, and 35 ℃) and water regimes (normal and 65% watering). Five different levels of 5-ALA (0, 25, 50, 100 and 150 mg L-1) were applied as foliar application. Leaf area, stem diameter, shoot and root lengths, fresh and dry weights of shoot and root, and physiological parameters were measured. Drought stress (W2) decreased leaf area by 14.9% compared with normal watering (W1). High temperature (35 ℃) increased malondialdehyde (MDA) content by 72.1% compared with control (25 ℃). 35 ℃ with W2 reduced root and shoot dry weights by 71.8% and 51.9% relative to 25 ℃ and W1. At 35 ℃, 25 mg L-1 5-ALA increased root length by 17.1% and 3.4% at W1 and W2, respectively. 150 mg L-1 5-ALA increased root fresh weight by 101.0% compared with 0 mg L-1 5-ALA at W1 and 35 ℃. The highest protein content (8.35 mg g-1 FW) was achieved at the interaction between W2, 35 ℃ and 50 mg L-1 5-ALA. At W2 and 35 ℃, 150 mg L-1 5-ALA increased proline content by 66.5% relative to 0 mg L-1. The results of the present study suggest that foliar application of 5-ALA could be useful to alleviate the temperature and/or drought stresses of wheat seedling.

INTRODUÇÃO: A presença de desnutrição tem sido associada a inflamação e estresse oxidativo (EO) em pacientes em hemodiálise (HD) crônica. OBJETIVO: Verificar a associação entre marcadores do estado nutricional, incluindo a gordura corporal (GC), marcadores inflamatórios e de EO em pacientes em HD. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal, realizado em 40 pacientes em HD. O estado nutricional foi avaliado por avaliação subjetiva global modificada (SGAm), equivalente protéico do aparecimento de nitrogênio total normalizado (PNAn), albumina sérica (Alb-s), índice de massa corporal (IMC), GC e massa corporal magra (MCM). Inflamação e EO foram avaliadas através da proteína C-reativa de alta sensibilidade (PCRas), interleucina-6 (IL-6), produtos protéicos de oxidação avançada (PPOA), 8-hidroxideoxiguanosina (8OHdG) e pentosidina, respectivamente. RESULTADOS: Trinta e sete por cento dos pacientes apresentavam algum grau de desnutrição avaliada pela SGAm. A mediana e variação da GC (kg) foram de 16,2 (5,3 - 36,7). Com relação aos marcadores inflamatórios e de EO, houve uma correlação positiva e significativa entre IMC e PCRas (R = 0,37; p = 0,02), GC e PCRas (R = 0,32; p = 0,04) e entre PCRas e IL-6 (R = 0,51; p = 0,0007). Correlação negativa foi encontrada entre Alb-s e PCRas (R = -0,31; p = 0,05). Apenas no sexo masculino, a PCRas apresentou relação com IMC (R = 0,54; p = 0,01) e com a GC (R = 0,52; p = 0,01). Nenhuma associação foi encontrada entre marcadores inflamatórios e de EO. CONCLUSÃO: Marcadores de desnutrição e de excesso de peso não foram correlacionados com EO. A associação da PCRas com IMC e GC somente no sexo masculino pode sugerir diferenças na resposta inflamatória entre os sexos.

INTRODUCTION: The presence of malnutrition has been associated with inflammation and oxidative stress (OS) in patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD). OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between nutritional status markers, such as body fat (BF), markers of inflammation and of OS in patients on HD. METHODS: Cross-sectional study performed with 40 patients on HD. The nutritional status was evaluated by use of the modified subjective global assessment (SGAm), normalized total protein equivalent of nitrogen appearance (PNAn), serum albumin (Alb-s), body mass index (BMI), BF, and lean body mass (LBM). Inflammation and OS were assessed by use of highsensitivity protein C-reactive (HS-PCR), interleukin-6 (IL-6), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8OHdG), and pentosidine. RESULTS: Some degree of malnutrition was observed in 37% of the patients assessed through SGAm. Median and variation of BF (kg) were 16.2 and 5.3-36.7, respectively. Regarding the markers of inflammation and of OS, a positive and significant correlation was observed between BMI and HS-PCR (R = 0.37; p = 0.02), BF and HS-PCR (R = 0.32; p = 0.04), and between HS-PCR and IL-6 (R = 0.51; p = 0.0007). A negative correlation was found between Alb-s and HS-PCR (R = -0.31; p = 0.05). Only in males HS-PCR related to BMI (R = 0.54; p = 0.01) and to BF (R = 0.52; p = 0.01). No association was found between markers of inflammation and of OS. CONCLUSION: Markers of malnutrition and of overweight did not correlate with OS. The association of HS-PCR with BMI and BF only in the male sex may suggest differences in the inflammatory response between the sexes.