SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS GROWING ; UND-ER SALT STRESS CONDITIONS

Abstract

This investiagation was concerned with knowledge on the effect of various salt stresses on some physiological processes of wheat plants. stress here is the effect of NaCl, CaC12 or different Na/Ca ratios on the changes of uptake and reduction of nitrate in wheat seedlings.

The grains were sterilized with 0.1% HgC12 and then soaked in distilled water with continuous aeration. The grains were then grown in pots containing pure sand and irrigated with distilled water. The pots were kept in complete darkness at 25±2°C for 7 days, then light switched on for further 2 days.

Seedlings wer transferred to the induction medium (20 rnM KN03) only or supplemented with different concentrations of salt treatment, and kept under continuous illumination for 24 hat 25±2°C. Analyses were made on the shoots and the roots of seedlings grown on different treatments.

Some of the main results may be summarized as follows:- 1- The rate of absorption and reduction of N03 was greater in the seedlings treated with nitrate plus Ca ions than those treated with N03• alone (control). While in presence of nitrate plus higher concentrations of Na ions, both processes were greatly inhibited.