Table 1.
Improvement in growth and different physio-biochemical attributes by exogenous application of ascorbic acid (AsA) in different species under stress conditions.
| Mode of AsA application | AsA level | Plant species | Effects | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-sowing treatment | 50 mg L−1 | Lens culinaris Medik. | AsA improved yield and yield components under salinity stress | Alami-Milani and Aghaei-Gharachorlou, 2015 |
| 100 and 200 mg L−1 | Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) | AsA significantly enhanced germination rate, germination percentage, plumule length and seedling fresh biomass under drought stress | Ahmed et al., 2014 | |
| 1 and 2 mM | Sunflower (H. annuus L.) | AsA enhanced germination rate, germination percentage, seed stamina index and fresh and dry weights under drought stress | Fatemi, 2014 | |
| 1 mM | Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) | AsA improved proline, RWC, chlorophyll, enzymatic antioxidants and leaf anatomy under NaCl stress | Agami, 2014 | |
| 1.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 mM | Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) | AsA decreased micronucleus frequency and chromosomal aberration, while it improved mitotic index under Pb stress | Yu et al., 2014 | |
| 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mM | Sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) | AsA significantly enhanced fresh weight, number of shoots/roots, shoot/root length, soluble protein contents and enzymatic antioxidants | Munir et al., 2013 | |
| 55, 110 and 165 μM | Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) | AsA improved germination percentage, seedling fresh and dry weights, shoot and root lengths and vigor index under salt stress | Razaji et al., 2012 | |
| 15 and 30 mg L−1 | Squash (Cucurbita maxima D.) | AsA improved seedling growth, fresh and dry matter, protease activity and chlorophyll contents under salinity stress | Rafique et al., 2011 | |
| Foliar spray | 500, 1000 and 2000 mg L−1 | Olive (Olea europea L.) | Plant height, leaf number, leaf area and lateral shoot number were enhanced by AsA | Mayi et al., 2014 |
| 200 mg L−1 | Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) | AsA enhanced chlorophyll a and b, total soluble proteins, carbohydrates and carotenoids under drought stress | Hussein et al., 2014 | |
| 150 mg L−1 | Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) | AsA significantly enhanced leaf area and number of leaves | Hussein and Alva, 2014 | |
| 100, 200 and 300 mg L−1 | Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) | Plant height, seed yield and harvest index were improved by AsA | Zarghamnejad et al., 2014 | |
| 50, 100 and 150 mg L−1 | Canola (Brassica napus L.) | AsA improved shoot and root fresh weights, root dry weight, qN, NPQ, shoot and root P and AsA contents under drought stress | Shafiq et al., 2014 | |
| 500 mg L−1 | Wheat (T. aestivum L.) | AsA increased growth, grain yield and yield components | Mohamed, 2013 | |
| 100 and 200 mg L−1 | Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) | AsA improved stearic acid, linoleic acid and palmitic acid percentage and oil yield under drought conditions | Ahmed et al., 2013 | |
| 100, 200 and 300 mg L−1 | Wheat (T. aestivum L.) | AsA increased number of tillers and spikes per plant, spike length, spikelets/spike, and grain and straw yield under reclaimed sandy soil | Bakry et al., 2013 | |
| 75 and 150 mg L−1 | Maize (Zea mays L.) | AsA significantly enhanced RWC, seed yield and chlorophyll contents under water deficit conditions | Darvishan et al., 2013 | |
| 0.1, 0.5 and 1 mM | Saccharum spp. | POD, SOD proline contents and growth improved by AsA application while protein decreased under salt stress | Ejaz et al., 2012 | |
| 50, 100 and 150 mM | Sunflower (H. annuus L.) | AsA decreased flavonoids, anthocyanins and total soluble sugars under water deficit conditions | Ebrahimian and Bybordi, 2012 | |
| 400 and 600 mg L−1 | Camellia spp. | AsA improved chlorophyll a and b, polyphenol oxidase activity, phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity and brewed tea liquor characteristics | Murugan et al., 2012 | |
| 0.7 mM | Wheat (Triticum durum L.) | AsA improved leaf area, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents and proline, while it decreased H2O2under salt stress | Azzedine et al., 2011 | |
| 1 and 3 mM | Savory (Satureja hortensis) | AsA enhanced growth, proline and soluble proteins under drought stress | Yazdanpanah et al., 2011 | |
| 0.7 mM | Wheat (Triticum durum L.) | AsA significantly improved chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, leaf area, and proline, and it decreased H2O2 under salinity stress | Fercha et al., 2011 | |
| 100 mg L−1 | Wheat (T. aestivum L.) | AsA enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, ascorbate, phenol, carotenoids, potassium, calcium, magnesium as well as mitigated the adverse effects of salinity on leaf senescence | Farouk, 2011 | |
| 100, 150 and 200 mg L−1 | Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) | Fresh and dry weights, RWC, photosynthetic pigments, growth and oil percentage were improved under water stress | Khalil et al., 2010 | |
| 200 and 400 mg L−1 | Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) | AsA increased total carbohydrates, proteins and solute concentration as well as enhanced Mg2+, Ca2+, P and K under salinity stress | Sadak et al., 2010 | |
| 50, 100 and 150 mg L−1 | Maize (Zea mays L.) | AsA significantly increased stem and leaf dry weights and leaf fresh weight as well as grain weight under water deficit conditions | Dolatabadian et al., 2010 | |
| 50 and 100 mg L−1 | Shoe flower (Hibiscus rosasinesis L.) | AsA improved fresh and dry weights, number of flowers/plant, carotenoids, chlorophyll a & b, soluble sugars, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents | Fatma et al., 2009 | |
| 100 mM | Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) | AsA improved chlorophyll contents and decreased ABA under salinity | Dolatabadian et al., 2009 | |
| 1 mM | Okra (Hibiscus esculentus L.) | AsA significantly increased fresh and dry weights, sugar contents, proline, chlorophyll a & b, carotenoids and leaf area under drought stress | Amin et al., 2009 | |
| 25 mM | Canola (Brassica napus L.) | AsA decreased activities of antioxidant enzymes and MDA in leaf, and improved protein contents under salinity stress | Dolatabadian et al., 2008 | |
| 200 and 400 mg L−1 | Khaya senegalensis | AsA improved chlorophyll a, b and carotenoid contents, total sugars and uptake of P, K and N contents under salinity stress | Nahed et al., 2006 | |
| 50 and 100 mg L−1 | Wheat (T. aestivum L.) | AsA improved chlorophyll a contents and Na+ accumulation under drought stress | Khan et al., 2006 | |
| Foliar and pre-sowing | 20 and 40 mg L−1 | Maize (Zea mays L.) | AsA enhanced seedling growth, chlorophyll b, leaf relative water content, membrane stability and activities of enzymatic antioxidants at low temperature | Ahmad et al., 2014 |
| 1 mM | Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) | AsA maintained net photosynthesis, chlorophyll contents and growth under drought stress | Malik and Ashraf, 2012 | |
| 100 mg L−1 | Milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) | AsA enhanced seed germination. growth, carotenoids, plant water status, AsA, antioxidant enzyme activities and protein bands under salinity stress | Ekmekçi and Karaman, 2012 | |
| 50 and 100 mg L−1 | Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) | AsA improved germination percentage, thickness of xylem and phloem tissues and leaf blade under saline conditions | Arafa et al., 2009 | |
| 100 mg L−1 | Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) | AsA enhanced growth, CAT, POD and SOD activities and photosynthetic rate under saline conditions | Athar et al., 2009 | |
| 50 and 150 mg L−1 | Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) | Foliar and presowing treatment enhanced CAT, K, Ca2+, photosynthetic pigments, AsA contents, while foliar spray also improved growth | Athar et al., 2008 |