Effects of 24-epibrassinolide and 28-homobrassinolide on the growth and antioxidant enzyme activities in the seedlings of Brassica juncea L.

The present paper deals with the effects of two active forms of brassinosteroids (BRs) as epibrassinosteroid (24-EBL) and homobrassinosteroid (28-HBL) on percentage germination, growth in the form of shoot length, activities of auxinase (IAAO), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APOX) in 10 day old seedlings of Brassica juncea L. (RCM 619) under field conditions. Exogenous application of 240-EBL and 28-HBL significantly ameliorate the total protein content as compared to untreated control seedlings. 10(-8) M 28-HBL helps in enhancing the PPO activity very significantly, as compared to all other concentrations of EBL and HBL and also to that of untreated control. Similar trend was observed in IAAO activity. It was observed that all the concentrations of EBL were unable to enhance the APOX activity as compared to untreated control seedlings but 10(-8) M HBL significantly ameliorates APOX activity. CAT and SOD activities ameliorate significantly with exogenous application of EBL and HBL. Out of two active forms of BRs, 28-HBL was more effective at germination stage in scavenging the free radicals, which are produced in greater amount during germination from basic metabolic processes, whereas 28-EBL was effective in the initial growth of seedlings in the form of increase in shoot length.