Effect of salinity and different nitrogen sources on the activity of antioxidant enzymes and indole alkaloid content in Catharanthus roseus seedlings

The activities of antioxidant enzymes viz. glutathione reductase, GR; superoxide dismutase, SOD; peroxidase, POD; catalase, CAT and glutathione-S-transferase, GST and alkaloid accumulation were investigated in leaf pairs (apical, middle, basal) and in roots of Catharanthus roseus seedlings under the conditions of different nitrogen sources (20 mM KNO3 and 2 mM NH4Cl) and salinity, in the absence (non-saline control) and in the presence of 100 mM NaCl in the nutrient solution. Salinity caused a reduction in plant biomass. The biomass production of ammonium-fed plants was lower than that of nitrate-fed plants. The antioxidant enzymes exhibited higher activity in saline-treated plants. Changes in antioxidant enzyme activity caused by different nitrogen sources differed in all leaf pairs, as well as in roots of C. roseus. Ammonium-fed plants showed higher CAT, GR and GST activity in leaf pairs as well as in roots, while POD and SOD activity were higher in nitrate-fed plants. Higher peroxidase activity concomitant with the increased accumulation of alkaloid was found in all leaf pairs, as well as in roots of C. roseus of NO3− fed plants as compared to NH4+ fed plants.