Soybean plant osmotic and oxidative stress as affected by herbicide and salinity levels in soil

Background: Soybean cultivation has been an option used to diversify the production system and perform herbicide rotation in irrigated rice crops in the lowland soils of the Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil. However, elevated salinity levels have been detected in these soils that can inhibit plant growth due to the reduction of the osmotic potential of the soil solution and can causes toxicity. The combination of stress factors in the plantation areas can intensify deleterious effects, such as changes in salinity associated with herbicides that trigger oxidative stress in crops. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate osmotic potential, cell damage, and enzyme activities of the antioxidant metabolism on soybean after treatment with herbicides and salinity stress conditions. Methods: For this purpose, completely randomized design was used in a factorial scheme with three replicates. The A factor included four herbicide treatments, as follows: control (no herbicide), sulfentrazone, Smetolachlor, and sulfentrazone + S-metolachlor. The B factor was represented by the following three salinity levels: 0 (control), 60, and 120 mM NaCl, which were applied 24 hours after soybean sowing. Results: The results showed a significant alteration in the osmotic potential of soybean plants, mainly at higher salt concentrations. Although an increase in the lipid peroxidation has been detected in some treatments, antioxidant enzyme action combined with osmotic adjustment to reduce oxidative damage were mechanisms found to be employed by plants to reduce hydrogen peroxide levels. Conclusions: We concluded that herbicide treatment, in combination with saline stress, can alter physiological and biochemical processes of soybean plants.