Studies on the role of homobrassinolide on the metabolites in turmeric leaves

The effect of homobrassinolide (HBL) sprayed in four different concentrations viz., viz., 0.5µM, 1.0µM, 2.0µM, and 3.0µM on the metabolites  viz., chlorophyll pigments, carbohydrate fractions (reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, total sugars and starch) and soluble proteins present in turmeric plants grown in the semi-arid tropics of Nizamabad was studied. The soil of Nizamabad is known to posses high concentrations of salt and the place is usually a semi-arid tropical area where the crops are prone to drought and salt stresses and foliar application of HBL is to ameliorate these stresses and improve the metabolites of turmeric plant. All the four concentrations of HBL played a very positive role in ameliorating the saline stress and enhanced the metabolite contents viz., chlorophyll pigments, carbohydrate fractions (reducing sugars, total sugars, total sugars and starch), and soluble proteins in turmeric plants. HBL at 3.0μM was found most effective in increasing chlorophyll pigments, carbohydrates and soluble proteins compared to the other treatments as well as control plants.