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COMPARTMENTATION OF Na⁺ AND Cl^- IONS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF SORGHUM BICOLOR (L.) MOENCH DURING PLANT DEVELOPMENT

F.M. AZHAR¹ AND T. MCNEILLY

Abstract: Pattern of distribution of Na⁺ and Cl^- ions were examined in four moderately salt-tolerant Sorghum bicolor accessions (Double TX, Giza 114, INRA 353 and INRA 133) grown in salinized sand-culture. Analyses for ion content were made on each leaf, pseudostems and roots. Ion content of leaves of different ages differed but not consistently among accessions. Double TX and Giza 114 had the lowest Na⁺ and Cl^- concentration in young leaves and these increased with leaf age. In INRA 353 leaf Na⁺ and Cl^- decreased in older leaves. The Na+ content of pseudostems of Double TX and Giza 114 were similar to those in leaves but in INRA 133 and INRA 353 Na⁺ ions were markedly higher than in leaves and considerably higher than in Double TX and Giza 114. Pseudostems contained the highest concentrations of Cl^- and were similar in the four accessions. Root Cl^- concentrations were similar to those in leaves in the four accessions. In terms of relative grain yield, INRA 133 and INRA 353 were found superior accessions than Double TX and Giza 114, and therefore, their potential may be exploited through selection and breeding of plants to effect further improvement in salinity tolerance in sorghum.

Department of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Liverpool, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool, L69 3BX, United Kingdom.
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.