Majid Dashti - Khorasan-e-Razavi Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Mashhad, Iran
Mahdi Akhondi - Department of Biology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
Maryam Niakan - Department of Biology, Gorgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran
Homa Mahmoodzadeh Akharat - Department of Biology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

Salinity stress, like many other abiotic stresses, limits the plant growth. Nanotechnology has been globally accepted as a modern, advanced technology that could enhance research in many fields. In order to investigate the effect of Nano-ZnO and salinity stress on morpho-physiological characteristics of Salvia leriifolia Benth., a factorial experiment was conducted as completely randomized design with three replications, the treatments were three nano-ZnO concentrations (۰, ۲, ۴ mg/l) and five salinity levels (۰, ۵۰, ۱۰۰, ۱۵۰, ۲۰۰ mM NaCl) in the greenhouse of Mashhad Islamic Azad University in ۲۰۱۹. The results showed that salinity stress had a significant effect on morpho-physiological indices as well as mineral nutrients. It was also found that ۴ mg/l nano-ZnO concentration at the mild salinity stress (۵۰ and ۱۰۰ mM) increased leaf and root length, leaf and root soluble protein, and proline content compared to the control. Salinity stress also decreased the concentration of K+, Ca۲+, Mg۲+, Zn۲+, Cu۲+, P, and K+/Na+ ratio in roots and leaves, while Na+ content increased significantly during stress in both organs. Nevertheless, the application of nano-ZnO increased the content of Zn۲+, Ca۲+, K+, and K+/Na+ ratio in leaves and roots.

calcium, Potasium, Proline, Soluble protein