Evaluation of the Directly and Indirectly Effects of the Morpho-Physiological Traits of Sweet Corn Seedlings on Yield with Structural Equation Modeling Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS) Approach

Abstract

Environmental stress factors have a very complex effect on the growth and growth parameters of plants. Therefore, special analytical techniques such as SEM-PLS can better understand the between observational variables and abiotic stress factors. Therefore, the present study was aimed to evaluate the, directly and indirectly, effects of the growth and biochemical parameters of sweet corn seed on yield, which seed primed with different melatonin doses and grown under different soil salinity conditions using the SEM-PLS model. Seeds of sweet corn cultivar Vega F1 were soaked in 0, 50, 100, and 200 μM of melatonin solution for 24 h, and then primed seeds were cultivated under four (0.27, 5.45, 9.00, and 12.32 dSm-1) soil salinity conditions. The study results showed that melatonin directly and positively affected growth parameters (β = 0.502, p <0.05). In contrast, salinity directly and negatively affected growth parameters (β = -0.689, p <0.05). Also, melatonin had a mostly indirect effect (β = 0.623) on biochemical components compared to direct effect (β = -0.277). The indirect effect (β = -0.855) of salinity on biochemical components was more significant than its direct effect (β = 0.244). Finally, the SEM-PLS can be used as a significant tool for understanding the benefits of melatonin and salinity’s positive or negative effects through direct and indirect relationships with the mediating variables of growth parameters and biochemical, which are essential to optimize sweet corn yield.

Keywords

• SEM-PLS
• melatonin
• sweet corn
• yield
• growth parameters

Mısır Fidelerinin Morfo-Fizyolojik Özelliklerinin Verime Doğrudan ve Dolaylı Etkilerinin Yapısal Eşitlik Modellemesinin Kısmi En Küçük Kare (SEM-PLS) Yaklaşımıyla Değerlendirilmesi

Öz

Environmental stress factors have a very complex effect on the growth and growth parameters of plants. Therefore, special analytical techniques such as SEM-PLS can better understand the between observational variables and abiotic stress factors. Therefore, the present study was aimed to evaluate the, directly and indirectly, effects of the growth and biochemical parameters of sweet corn seed on yield, which seed primed with different melatonin doses and grown under different soil salinity conditions using the SEM-PLS model. Seeds of sweet corn cultivar Vega F1 were soaked in 0, 50, 100, and 200 μM of melatonin solution for 24 h, and then primed seeds were cultivated under four (0.27, 5.45, 9.00, and 12.32 dSm-1) soil salinity conditions. The study results showed that melatonin directly and positively affected growth parameters (β = 0.502, p <0.05). In contrast, salinity directly and negatively affected growth parameters (β = -0.689, p <0.05). Also, melatonin had a mostly indirect effect (β = 0.623) on biochemical components compared to direct effect (β = -0.277). The indirect effect (β = -0.855) of salinity on biochemical components was more significant than its direct effect (β = 0.244). Finally, the SEM-PLS can be used as a significant tool for understanding the benefits of melatonin and salinity’s positive or negative effects through direct and indirect relationships with the mediating variables of growth parameters and biochemical, which are essential to optimize sweet corn yield.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• SEM-PLS
• melatonin
• tatlı mısır
• verim
• büyüme parametreleri

Kaynakça

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