Salicylic Acid and Methyl Jasmonate Synergistically Ameliorate Salinity Induced Damage by Maintaining Redox Balance and Stomatal Movement in Potato.

Susceptibility of plants to salinity stress is a looming threat to crop productivity worldwide, thereby warranting the strategies to counter stress. We investigated the effects of combined foliar treatment with salicylic acid (SA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on the growth and development of two elite varieties of potato under salinity stress. The salinity stress manifested membrane damage, electrolyte leakage, and production of H₂O₂ and free radical superoxide anion. Application of SA or MeJA individually could not significantly improve the performance of potato plants exposed to salinity stress. However, treatment with combinations of SA and MeJA synergistically mitigated the adverse effects of salinity, as reflected by reduced membrane damage and electrolyte leakage and lower accumulation of H₂O₂ and free radical superoxide anion. Moreover, plants treated with the combination treatment had higher relative water content and redox pools of ascorbate and glutathione under salinity stress. The treatment promoted the accumulation of K⁺ and lowered the Na⁺ content. SA and MeJA synergistically enhanced the activities of the antioxidant enzymes in the Halliwell-Asada pathway and modulated the photosynthetic and transpiration rates. Overall, our results indicate that the combined foliar treatments with SA and MeJA have positive effects on the growth, development, and yield of potato through maintenance of ion homeostasis and photosynthetic traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]