Grain filling and yield of mung bean affected by salicylic acid and silicon under salt stress

Two experiments were carried out in 2013 and 2014, to investigate changes in grain filling rate (GFR), grain filling duration (GFD) and yield of mung bean in response to salicylic acid (SA) and silicon (Si) under salt stress (0, 3, 6 and 9 dS m(-1)). In experiment 1, four levels of SA (0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5mM), but in experiment 2, two levels of SA (0 and 1mM) and Si (0 and 2mM) were applied. In experiment 1, GFR, GFD, yield components, biological and grain yields and harvest index were decreased with increasing salt stress. Application of different levels of SA, especially 1mM, increased GFR, but decreased GFD. In experiment 2, GFD under salinity was shorter than that under non-saline condition, resulting in comparatively smaller grains. Application of Si and particularly SA accelerated grain development under all salinity treatments. The superiority of SA treated plants in GFR, grain weight and grains per plant resulted in greater grain yield per plant under saline and non-saline conditions.