ABDEL RAHMAN AL-TAWAHA1; MUNIR AZIZ TURK2; ABDEL RAZZAQ MOHAMMAD AL-TAWAHA3; MUHAMMAD H. ALU’DATT4; MOHAMMAD WEDYAN5; EZZ AL-DEIN MUHAMMED AL-RAMAMNEH6; ANH TUAN HOANG7
1 Department of Biological sciences, Al-Hussein bin Talal University, 11821, Maan, Jordan
2 Jordan University of Science and Technology, Department of Plant Production, Irbid, Jordan
3 Universiti Putra Malaysia, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Crop Science, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
4 Jordan University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid, Jordan
5 The Hashemite University, Biological Sciences and Biotechnology Department, Al Zarka O Box 330127, Jordan
6 Al-Balqa Applied University, Al-Shouback University College, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Al-Shouback, Maan, Jordan
7Ho Chi Minh University of Transport, 2 Duong D3, Phuong 25, Binh Thanh, Ho Chi Minh,Vietnam
Al-Tawaha, A.R., M.A. Turk, A.R.M. Al-Tawaha, M.H. Alu’datt, M.Wedyan, E. Al-D. M. Al-Ramamneh and A.T. Hoang, 2018. Using chitosan to improve growth of maize cultivars under salinity conditions. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 24 (3): 437–442
Chitosan has been broadly used in agriculture to reduce harmful effects on plants during unfavorable conditions as well as to enhance plant growth. Two experiments were conducted to (i) determine the ability of chitosan to alleviate the deleterious effects of salinity on two maize cultivars, (ii) analyze the effects of different levels of chitosan application on the growth of maize under salinity stress. Results indicated that salinity has negative effects on shoot and root growth, where a significant decrease was observed in shoot and root dry weight, plant height and leaf areas for both maize genotypes at the 4-leaf stage. Foliar application of chitosan improved plant growth for non-saline treated plants and ameliorated the adverse effects of salinity on shoot and root growth more in SR03 than in Pioneer 3906 maize genotypes. Results also indicated that transpiration rates were neither affected by salinity level nor by chitosan application at any rate.