Effect of salinity on growth, antioxidant contents and proximate compositions of Sabah Snake Grass (Clinacanthus Nutans)

• Main Author: Lo, Qiau Zi
• Format: Academic Exercise
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: S Agriculture (General)
• Online Access: https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/18832/1/Effect%20of%20salinity%20on%20growth%2C%20antioxidant%20contents%20and%20proximate%20compositions%20of%20Sabah%20Snake%20Grass.pdf; https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/18832/

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of salinity on growth, antioxidant contents and proximate compositions of Sabah snake grass (Clinacanthus nutans). The experiment was conducted at the rain shelter of Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, UMS. The soil used in the experiment had electrical conductivity (EC) 1.15 dS m-1 and organic carbon 22.02% with pH 5.23. Six salinity levels were used namely 0 (control), 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 dS m-1• Data on plant height, leaf length, leaf width, relative water content, phenolic content, f1avonoids content, and proximate compositions of C nutans were recorded four weeks after application of salinity treatment. The experimental design was Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five replications. Results were analysed using SAS and the treatment means were compared by Least Significance Differences (LSD) test at the 5% significant level. In this study, highest salinity level, 20 dS m-1 significantly increased the phenolic content (1.95 mg GAE/g), f1avonoids content (3.84 mg QE/g), and proximate compositions such as ash content (19.83%), crude protein content (16.43%), crude fat content (18.45%) and crude fiber content (10.73%) of C nutans although the plant growth and leaf relative water content were reduced. Therefore, saltstressed C nutans can be considered as excellent sources of antioxidant contents and protein for human consumption.