Some Physiological and Biochemical Effects of NaCl Salinity on Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.)

The main objective of this study was to examine the effects of NaCl on the leaf growth and some physiological and biochemical characteristics of an Algerian durum wheat (var. Waha) landrace. NaCl (150 mM), as compared to control plants, significantly reduced all the leaf-growth parameters as leaf area (33%), leaf dry weight (41%) and leaf fresh weight (32%), but did not induce any change in the leaf succulence and, consequently, in the leaf RWC. On the other hand, NaCl salinity induced the accumulation of proline (2.25 fold, P 0.05) and soluble sugars (60%, P 0.01) in the leaves of durum wheat seedlings. However, wile photosynthetic pigments content do not undergo important change, total carotenoids content decreased (14%) under salt stress conditions. NaCl treatment enhanced significantly the accumulation of H O (4.0-fold, P 0.01) 2 2 and led to lipid peroxidation. All of these parameters and the interaction among them were analyzed using ANOVA and multiple correlation analysis. The importance of the interactions between osmolytes and antioxidants in determining the salt tolerance of durum wheat was discussed.