Soil and Sustainable Development

Soil and Sustainable Development

The Effect of Foliar Application of Arginine Amino acid on some Physiological and Biochemical Parameters of Pistachio Seedlings (pistacia vera L. cv. Badami-Riz Zarand) under Cold Stress

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Payam Noor University, Tehran, IRAN.
Abstract
Early spring cold stress poses a significant threat to pistachio trees, leading to substantial damage. This study aimed to investigate the effect of exogenous Arginine (Arg) application on enhancing cold tolerance in seedlings of the Badami Rize Zarand pistachio cultivar by evaluating various physiological and biochemical parameters. The experiment was conducted in a factorial arrangement within a randomized complete block design with three replications. Seedlings were foliar-sprayed with Arg at concentrations of 0, 75, 150, and 250 µM after the onset of vegetative growth. Seventy-two hours post-application, plants were subjected to cold stress at temperatures of −2°C and −4°C for two hours. The results indicated that Arg application significantly reduced ionic Leakage in the leaves of treated seedlings compared to the control. The lowest ionic leakage was observed at the 150 µM concentration. Additionally, Arg treatment led to a significant increase in proline content in the seedlings, with the highest accumulation at the 250 µM concentration. Soluble sugar content was also elevated in seedlings treated with 150 and 250 µM Arg compared to the control. Furthermore, the total protein content in the leaves was highest in the 250 µM Arg treatment. In conclusion, the application of Arg effectively enhanced cold tolerance in pistachio seedlings by increasing soluble sugars, total protein, and proline content, while decreasing ionic Leakage. These physiological changes suggest that Arg can serve as a protective agent against cold stress, potentially offering a viable strategy for mitigating frost damage in pistachio cultivation.
Keywords
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Volume 1, Issue 2
Autumn 2025
Pages 129-141

  • Receive Date 06 July 2025
  • Revise Date 26 July 2025
  • Accept Date 09 August 2025
  • Publish Date 23 September 2025