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INFLUENCE OF SALT
STRESS ON GROWTH AND BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF CITRUS
ROOTSTOCKS
RASHAD MUKHTAR BALAL1*,
M. YASIN ASHRAF2*, MUHAMMAD MUMTAZ KHAN3, MUHAMMAD JAFAR JASKANI3
AND MUHAMMAD ASHFAQ4
Abstract:
Soil salinity is a
major abiotic stress in agriculture worldwide which affects plant
morpho-physiology and ultimately leads to reduction in yield. To assess
the effect of salinity on some physio-biochemical parameters in plants
of ten different citrus rootstocks, an experiment was performed under
controlled saline conditions. Plants were subjected to four salt
treatments i.e. 0 (control), 30, 60 and 90 mM NaCl for 90 days in
sand culture. In response to salt stress, the physiological responses
were measured. Salinity affected all of the parameters under study. The
high salt concentrations caused a great reduction in growth parameters
such as fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots. These changes were
associated with decrease in chlorophyll contents in leaves. With the
increase in salinity level, the proline and sugar contents were
increased, and it was concluded that these osmolytes play a key role in
generating tolerance against salt stress.
1University College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Pakistan.
2Nuclear
Institute for Agriculture & Biology (NIAB), Jhang Road, Faisalabad,
Pakistan.
3Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture,
Faisalabad, Pakistan
4Department of Agri-Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad,
Pakistan.
*Corresponding author:
uaf_rashad@yahoo.com
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