The effect of salicylic acid priming and Chelat nanofertilizer (Parmis fertilizer 10) application on the biochemical characteristics of two chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivars under rainfed conditions

Salicylic acid priming and Chelat nanofertilizer (Parmis fertilizer 10) spraying can moderate the damage caused by drought stress in rainfed agriculture. In this research, which was carried out as a factorial-split in the form of a basic design of randomized complete blocks with three replications in Khorramabad, the effect of these two factors on two chickpea cultivars was investigated. The results showed that the local cultivar of Grit had more proline, peroxidase, and photosynthetic pigments in shoots, and the amount of copper and manganese in seeds was higher than that of the Adel variety. However, the amount of shoot catalase and the amount of potassium and magnesium in the seed were superior in the Adel variety compared to the local cultivar of Grit. Salicylic acid increased catalase, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll a+b by 1.8%, 6.7% and 5.4%, respectively, and decreased the amount of phosphorus by 1.7% compared to the control treatment. Nanofertilizer up to three liters per hectare reduced the amount of proline, peroxidase, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll a+b and the ratio of chlorophyll a/b in the aerial parts, but on the amount of catalase and chlorophyll b in shoots and potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese and zinc in the seed. The interaction effect of variety and salicylic acid and nanofertilizer was significant for all traits measured in the shoot. With the increase in foliar application of the nanofertilizer, the amount of seed protein showed a linear increase, but the protein yield of chickpea showed a significant increase up to the level of two liters per hectare and then decreased. In general, the Adel cultivar with salicylic acid priming and foliar spraying of 2 liters per hectare of nanofertilizer improved the quantity and quality of chickpeas in rainfed conditions.