Assessment of salt stress effect on some physiological parameters and antibacterial activities in dill (Anethum graveolens L.)

In the present study, the effects of different concentrations of NaCl (0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 100mM) were investigated on some physiological parameters and antibacterial activities of dill (Anethum graveolens L.). Ten-days-old seedlings, prepared in sterilized petri dishes, were transferred into pots containing washed sand and irrigated with Hoagland nutrient solution. Pots were located in a growth chamber (at 25°C for 16h in light and 18°C for 8h in darkness) and after certain growth period, plants were harvested for analyses. For antibacterial analyses, the plants were treated throughout flowering and fruit production stages. Results showed that in all treated plants, proline content was increased and photosynthetic pigments were decreased in high concentrations of NaCl. Also, the studies on growth factors showed that in dill, these parameters were affected by NaCl. Studies on antibacterial activities showed that in most of the cases, the zone of inhibition was increased by increasing of salt concentration and the antibacterial effect of extract was significant in high concentrations. Of course, choosing the best way and solute for preparing the extract is important for reaching a noticeable antibacterial effect.