A deficiency of microelements (zinc, copper, iron, manganese, etc.) in soil is a global problem. Crops grown in these
soils have decreased yields and lower nutrient content. The latter has a negative impact on human nutrition and health.
However, treatment with growth regulators can improve nutrient absorption from the soil, increase growth intensity, and
boost plant yield and the nutritional value of their products. In this study, we examined the effects of seed treatment and
spraying of wheat plants with a salicylic acid (SA) solution on the cell division of wheat root apical meristems when
grown under zinc or copper deficiency. It was shown that under zinc deficiency, plants not treated with SA showed a
decrease in the mitotic index and an increase in the percentage of cells in metaphase. The latter was also observed under
copper deficiency, along with an increase in the percentage of cells in anaphase and the percentage of dividing cells with
chromosomal aberrations. At zinc deficiency, both methods of SA treatment practically did not affect mitosis in the apical
meristem of wheat roots. The only exception was a decrease in the proportion of cells with chromosome fragmentation
in metaphase in plants with SA seed treatment, and an increase in the proportion of cells at the anaphase stage in SA
sprayed plants. Under copper deficiency, SA seed treatment decreased the proportion of cells in prophase, the percentage
of dividing cells with chromosomal aberrations, and the proportion of cells with C-mitosis in metaphase, but increased
the proportion of cells in ana-telophase. Whereas, spraying plants with SA under these conditions decreased only the
proportion of cells in ana-telophase. However, at optimal metal levels, this treatment increased the proportion of cells in
metaphase, the percentage of dividing cells with chromosomal aberrations, and the proportion of cells with fragmenta
tion in metaphase, but decreased the proportion of cells in telophase and their proportion with laggard chromosomes in
anaphase. The results of the present study indicate that SA seed treatment has a more pronounced protective effect on the
mitotic activity of apical meristem cells in wheat roots under zinc and especially copper deficiency.