The effect of chitosan on some physiological and biochemicalcharacteristics of Ajowan (Carum copticum L.)

Chitosan is a glucosamine polysaccharide deacetylated form of chitin species and could be used as a biotic elicitor to improve secondary metabolites. In order to study the effect of chitosan on malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant enzymes activity such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), phenol compounds, chlorophyl a, b, carbohydrate and proline in ajowan, this study was conducted as a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications at Biocenter of University of Zabol. Chitosan had four levels (0, 100, 150 and 200 ppm). In comparison with the control, the results showed that malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant enzymes activity such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), phenol compounds, chlorophyl a, b, carbohydrate and proline increased to 72.96, 92.22, 91.74, 92.61, 86.35, 73.52, 81.16, 94.6 and 91.4% respectively, while increasing the amount of chitosan to 200 ppm. It seems that in concentrations higher than 100 ppm, chitosan, as a biotic elicitor, increases antioxidant enzyme activity and secondary metabolites production in four stages of ajowan.