Influence of β-alanine derivatives on the growth parameters of nonoverwintering oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) plants

Abstract

This research was aimed at investigating the effects of some not naturally found β-alanine derivatives on the growth parameters of non-overwintering oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) plants in vitro and in vivo, including also field experiments. The five investigated β-alanine derivatives – N-(4-methoxy-2-nitrophenyl)-β-alanine sodium salt, N-(2-pyridinyl)-β-alanine sodium salt, 3,3'-{[1-(2-carboxyethyl)-4-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline-7-yl]imino}dipropanoic acid, 2-(quinoline-3-ylamino)succinic acid, and 3-(3-benzoxazolonyl)propanoic acid sodium salt – were synthesized at the Department of Organic Chemistry of the Kaunas University of Technology. These chemical compounds 10 μM each were applied when B. napus (var. Lisora) seeds were germinated on the filter paper in Petri dishes and when the seeds were germinated on the nutrient MS medium in vitro. One β-alanine derivative was selected out of the five for the further research since this derivative – N-(4-methoxy-2-nitrophenyl)-β-alanine sodium salt, – in contrast to the others, had no negative influence on root growth in Petri dishes and even promoted root growth in vitro. Testing the effect of different concentrations (ranging from 0.1 μM to 100 μM) of N-(4-methoxy-2-nitrophenyl)-β-alanine sodium salt on B. napus seedling growth in vitro demonstrated that the most pronounced effect on growth parameters of this β-alanine derivative was observed at 100 μM; it significantly decreasing the characteristic parameters of above-ground growth (such as shoot length and leaf number) but increasing root length. In field experiments, N-(4-methoxy-2-nitrophenyl)-β-alanine sodium salt in B. napus (var. Land Mark) increased the number of primary and secondary branches as well as the number of siliques. The average seed yield after treating with N-(4-methoxy-2-nitrophenyl)-β-alanine sodium salt increased by 10.8%.