Abstract

ABSTRACT Salicylic acid can improve plant stress tolerance by changing physiological and morphological characteristics of plants. This experiment was conducted in order to investigate morphophysiologycal responses of Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) to water deficit stress and salicylic acid application in Research greenhouses of horticultural science department at the University of Zanjan in 2015. Three soil available water levels (40, 70 and 100%) and salicylic acid (0, 1 and 2 millimolar) were applied in a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with four replications. Results showed that water deficit (40 % available water) reduced leaves relative water content and shoot growth whereas, root growth, root to shoot ratio, leaves antioxidant capacity, electrolyte leakage, proline, total phenol and chlorophyll content increased with decreasing soil available water. Salicylic acid application ameliorate adverse effects of water deficit in bermuda grass by increasing leaves antioxidant capacity, proline, and chlorophyll content as well as reducing electrolyte leakage and this effect was more pronounced in concentration of 2 mM. Keywords: Available water, chlorophyll, proline, shoot growth, total phenol