Effect of Cycocel on Antioxidative Activity and Malondialdehyde Content of،Mary and Mission Olive (Olea europaea L.) Cultivars Under Drought Stress

In order to investigate the effect of cycocel on some biochemical characteristics of two olive cultivars (Mary and Mission), a greenhouse experiment was conducted taking into account three factors of: cycocel at three levels (0, 500 and 1000 mg L-1), drought stress of three levels (irrigated at 5, 10 and 15 days intervals) and tow olive cultivars (Mary and Mission) in a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replicates for the lasted four months. In the end of experiment the results showed that increased periods of drought have increased catalase activity (10.486 µm min-1/g Fw-1), ascorbate peroxidase (10.129 µm min-1/g Fw-1) and guaiacol peroxidase (17.879 µm min-1/g Fw-1). Anthocyanin content, total phenols and malondialdehyde content in both cultivars increased with drought stress too. Also, cycocel treatments increased the catalase and guaiacol peroxidase activity and decreased the malondialdehyde content as compared with the control. The plants treated with 500 mg L-1 cycocel, showed significant decreased in the anthocyanin content (12.137 µm/g FW) in leaf compared with the control (13.629 µm/g FW). Mission cultivar showed higher resistance to drought stress than the Mary cultivar. Results suggested that cycocel treatment can neutralize some negative effects of drought stress in Mary and Mission cultivars of olive.