Effects of foliar application of methanol on photosynthetic characteristics, chlorophyll fluorescence and chlorophyll content of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under ought stress

To evaluate the effects of foliar application of methanol on photosynthetic characteristics، chlorophyll fluorescence and chlorophyll content of chickpea under drought stress، a factorial experiment was conducted based on completely randomized design with three replications in 2011 at the Recearch Center for Sciences of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. In this experiments، different levels of methanol including، 0 (control)، 20، 25، 30 and 35 volumetric percentage (v/v) were used as foliar applications at three times during growth season of chickpea، with 10 days intervals. Moisture regimes were at two levels، 25 and 100 percent of field capacity. Results showed that there was significant difference (P≤0. 01) between methanol concentrations after each spraying، regarding to chlorophyll content، CO2 assimilation، stomatal conductance، transpiration، CO2 concentration in stomatal chamber and Fv/Fm. Spraying with 30% volume level than the other treatments were effective on the physiological components، while was observed significant increase in chlorophyll content، stomatal conductance and assimilation CO2 compared to the control. Results indicated that interactions between drought and methanol after each spraying had significant differences (P≤0. 05) in traits such as content، assimilation CO2، stomatal conductance، transpiration، CO2 concentration in stomatal chamber، Fv/Fm. It could be concluded that spraying methanol improve photosynthetic characteristics، (Fv/Fm) and chlorophyll content in drought conditions.