Application of iron nanoparticles and salicylic acid in in vitro culture of strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) to cope with drought stress

The effects of iron nanoparticles and salicylic acid (SA) on strawberry ( Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) plants in conditions of drought stress were surveyed under in vitro conditions to find the optimum combination for strawberry tissue culture. Cuttings of the Queen Elisa cultivar were surveyed in a three-way factorial experiment with three replications in 2015. The results showed that drought stress significantly affected all measured parameters of strawberry plantlets under in vitro condition in a negative way. SA compensated for the negative effects of drought stress on strawberry plantlets and improved their growth parameters under in vitro culture. Strawberry plantlets treated with iron nanoparticles were able to cope with stressful conditions better than untreated ones. This study found that iron, a micronutrient in plant growth and in vitro development, greatly influenced the plantlets’ growth parameters and other measured traits. These results indicate that the efficiency of tissue culture and in vitro culture of strawberries could be improved by increased application of iron in the form of nanoparticles. The results might also indicate that the application of iron nanoparticles along with SA can be a useful method for providing higher quantity and quantity in the in vitro culture of strawberries, and could be used for adapting strawberry plants to drought before transplanting them in the field.