Foliar Application of Glutathione and Zinc Enhances Growth, Biochemical Resilience, and Genomic Stability in Dill Under Sandy Soil Stress

Research at the National Research Centre has investigated the effects of adding glutathione and zinc to dill plants grown in sandy soil under stress conditions. The study, published in Discover Applied Sciences, aimed to assess the productivity and genomic stability of dill plants subjected to varying dosages of glutathione and zinc. The findings demonstrate that the addition of glutathione and zinc to the soil improves the growth and biochemical resilience of dill plants, particularly in arid and sandy areas.

Key Takeaways:

• Foliar application of glutathione and zinc resulted in higher values of morphological and chemical characters in dill plants, particularly when used in combination.
• The optimal dosage of glutathione and zinc for improving dill plant growth and biochemical resilience was found to be 0.2 g L-1 and 1 g L-1, respectively.
• The addition of glutathione and zinc to the soil led to improved yields of essential oil, chlorophyll, carotenoids, and other biochemical markers in dill plants.
• Glutathione and zinc also affected the percentage of genome stability in dill plants, with the combination of both compounds resulting in increased genomic stability.
• The research concludes that adding glutathione and zinc to sandy soil can help mitigate the negative impacts of soil stress on dill plant growth and productivity.
• The study highlights the potential of using natural compounds like glutathione and zinc to improve crop resilience and productivity under stressful conditions.

Statistics:

• Dill plants treated with 0.2 g L-1 glutathione and 1 g L-1 zinc had the highest values of fresh mass (89.6 g plant-1), dry mass (16.1 g plant-1), and essential oil yield (9.7 g 100plant-1).
• Glutathione and zinc treated plants had significantly higher amounts of soluble sugars (102.4 mg g-1), flavonoids (16.3 mg g-1), phenols (34.7 mg g-1), and carvone (61.7%) compared to controls.
• The percentage of genome stability in dill plants was significantly increased by the addition of glutathione and zinc, with an average increase of 17% in genomic stability.

Sources:

• Foliar application of glutathione and zinc enhances growth, biochemical resilience, and genomic stability in dill under sandy soil stress. Discover Applied Sciences, 2025, 7(10): 1-29.
• NewsRx. Findings from National Research Centre Broaden Understanding of Biochemistry (Foliar application of glutathione and zinc enhances growth, biochemical resilience, and genomic stability in dill under sandy soil stress). Life Science Weekly. October 21, 2025; p 1077.