Effect of the novel biodegradable copolymer and soil salinity on the growth of corn plant

Biodegradable and biocompatible poly (1,2-epoxy-3-phenoxy propane)-co-(ε-caprolactone) poly(EPP-co-ε-CL) copolymers were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization method at four different ε-CL ratios. Copolymers were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. To examine their possible applications in agriculture, germination test and growth analyses of corn plants were carried out. For this purpose, corn (Zea mays L. cv. “72 May 80”) was allowed to germinate under suitable conditions. Copolymers, 200 mM salt (NaCl) solution, and both copolymers and salt solution were applied to the plants and compared with the control groups. On the 21st day, all the plants were harvested and were stored at −80°C until analysis. Differences in growth parameters, lipid peroxidation degrees, pigment analysis, and total carbohydrate analysis were tested in order to put forward copolymer and NaCl sensitivity of the corn. Statistical analysis was carried out using the SPSS 17.0 software program and the results were compared with each other. These results showed that the copolymers both have a positive effect on the carbohydrate and malondialdehyde (MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation content as well as the chlorophyll content. Moreover, poly(EPP-co-ε-CL0.88) was more efficient than was the other copolymers in the improvement of the detrimental effects of salinity in increasing chlorophyll, carbohydrate, and MDA content, and growth of corn plants. As a result of the study, it was demonstrated that all of the investigated parameters were affected by the applications of salt and copolymers.