Chicken feather protein hydrolysate as a biostimulant improves the growth of wheat seedlings by affecting biochemical and physiological parameters

Abstract

We derived a protein hydrolysate with rich content, which includes proteinogenic and nonproteinogenic amino acids, fromchicken feathers by using an alkaline hydrolysis procedure with high yield success. After foliar application of aqueous solutions (0.05%,0.075%, and 0.1%) of chicken feather protein hydrolysate (CFPH) to the seedlings of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. ‘Altındane’ and‘Bezostaya’), their effects were evaluated on important physiological and biochemical parameters. Treating plants with CFPH stimulatedthe expression of RuBisCo and increased root and shoot lengths, fresh and dry weights of the seedlings, and photosynthetic pigmentcontent. In addition, applying CFPH at 0.075% and 0.1% concentrations decreased the content of reactive oxygen species, such as O2.–and H2O2, and the levels of lipid peroxidation (as malondialdehyde) and phenolic compounds, while augmenting free proline content.On the contrary, CFPH application ameliorated the antioxidant parameters, including enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants. CFPHstimulated the activities of guaiacol, ascorbate, and glutathione peroxidase while it did not affect those of superoxide dismutase andcatalase. Enzyme activity results agreed well with the isoenzyme expression profiles. In conclusion, the application of CFPH improvedthe parameters under consideration in wheat seedlings, suggesting that CFPH has the potential to be used as a suitable biostimulant inplant cultivation.