Morpho-Anatomical Changes In Salt Stressed Kallar Grass (Leptochloa fusca L. Kunth)

Abstract

Growth and morphological responses of Leptochloa fusca grown on sandy soil and irrigated with Hoagland’s nutrient solution containing 0, 100, 200 and 300 mM NaCl were studied in pot experiments. The results showed that no significant differences were found between the control and 100 mM NaCl level in the following characters: lamina and mesophyll thickness, bulliform cell area, percentage of sclerenchyma area, metaxylem and phloem areas in leaf blade; sheath thickness, area of aerenchyma, metaxylem and phloem areas and percentage of sclerenchyma area in leaf sheath and area of stem, percentage of pith cavity area, air spaces area, percentage of sclerenchyma area, number and area of stem vascular bundles. Meanwhile, plant height, shoot fresh weight and some anatomical characters were significantly decreased under 100 mM NaCl salinity i.e., midvein thickness, and aircavity area in leaf blade; sheath thickness, metaxylem and phloem area. Furthermore, salinity treatment over 100 mM significantly induced some anatomical changes such as highly developed bulliform cells intervening the upper epidermal cells and increased sclerification in stem, leaves and stomata number in the lower surface. The number of vascular bundles in stem was increased with increasing the salinity except the 300 mM NaCl. The above mentioned anatomical changes in response to the highest salinity level could be considered as anatomical function to adapt and tolerate kallar grass to salinity.