Salt Stress Induced Modulations in Growth, Compatible Solutes and Antioxidant Enzymes Response in Two Cultivars of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L. Cultivar TSF1 and Cultivar SM) Differing in Salt Tolerance

Safflower is an important, traditional, multipurpose oil crop. This was to investigate the effect of different salinity levels on morphological, physiological, biochemical and antioxidant response of two safflower cultivars (Carthamus tinctorius L. cultivar TSF1 and cultivar SM) differing in salt tolerance. Salinity stress (0.0%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0% of NaCl) was induced to safflower plants after 19 days of vegetative growth. After 12 days of stress imposition, plants were harvested and analysed for various parameters. The results revealed that cultivar TSF1 showed maximum growth, dry weight, cell membrane stability and more water content in both root and leaf tissues at higher salinity levels than cultivar SM. Salt stress resulted an accumulation of more soluble sugars, amino acids, proline and glycine betaine at high salinity level confers the tolerance potential of cultivar TSF1 over cultivar SM. Salt stress induces more increase in the enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase and catalase in tolerant cultivar than sensitive one. The results indicate that each cultivar adopt specific strategy at distinct salinity level for resistance against salinity. The possible conclusion is that improved tolerance in cultivar TSF1 to salinity may be accomplished by better management of growth, physiological attributes and antioxidative defence mechanisms.