Authors : S. S. Kokitkar, L. R. Chavan and S. A. Bhagat
Page Nos : 272-276
Description :
Abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity and oxidative stress are serious threats to agriculture. Salinity causes growth inhibition in most of the plants. Plants have defense mechanisms that allow them to acclimatize in saline environment. One of them is the accumulation of certain osmolytes like Proline, glycine betaine, Mannitol, Sorbitol, synthesized by plants as a response to abiotic stress. Wheat (Triticumn spp.) is one of the world’s major cereal crops which is tolerant at germination stage but highly sensitive to salinity at later stages. In the present study protective effect of foliar spray of different osmolytes and KNO3 on salt stressed wheat plants was studied. The foliar treatment of 50 mM and 100mM osmolytes like Mannitol, Sorbitol and KNO3 was given to plants with the supplementation of 100 mM NaCl. Effect of osmolyte treatment was studied on different growth parameters like root and shoots length, root and shoot fresh weights and dry weights, chlorophyll contents, proline content and K+ to Na+ ratio. Results were very promising; 100mM osmolyte and KNO3 application was more effective than 50mM concentrations. Tested parameters were positively affected by the foliar application of the Osmolytes under saline and control conditions and showed better tolerance towards salinity.
Keywords: Salinity, Foliar Spray, Compatible Solutes, Salt Stress
