Sarwar, MJ1, Mohd Nozulaidi1, Mohd Khairi1
1Faculty of Bioresources and Food Industry, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, 22200, Besut, Terengganu, Malaysia
Abstract
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) biosynthesized reduced glutathione (GSH) which maintains redox homeostasis in plants under normal and stressful conditions. To justify the effects of NAC on rice production, we measured yield parameters, chlorophyll (Chl) content, minimum Chl fluorescences (Fo), maximum Chl fluorescences (Fm), quantum yield (Fv/Fm), net photosynthesis rate (Pn), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and relative water content (RWC). Four treatments, namely, N1G0 {nitrogen (N) with no NAC}, N1G1 (N with NAC}, N0G0 (no N and no NAC) and N0G1 (no N but with NAC) were arranged as completely randomized design with five replications. Nitrogen significantly increased yield and yield parameters of rice plants. Moreover, NAC treatment increased panicle numbers, filled grains per panicle and yield of rice plants. Nitrogen significantly increased Chl content, Chl fluorescence parameters (Fm, Fv/Fm ratio) and Pn in leaves of the rice plant regardless of N treatments. NAC significantly increased RWC in leaves of N-untreated rice plant. In conclusion, this study suggests that NAC might enhance rice yield through modulating physiological functions of rice plants.