Effect of NaCl concentration on growth, root morphology and photosynthetic pigment in wheat and barley under solution culture

In a hydroponic experiment, effects of 0, 40, 80 and 160 mM NaCl applied for 4 and 7 days were Studied oil plant growth, root morphology and photosynthetic pigment of 19 days old wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The 80 mM NaCl treatment significantly reduced the fresh yield, relative plant growth rate, root length and root surface area of wheat by 42, 62, 45 and 51%, respectively measured 4 days after salt application. The deleterious effects of salinity oil wheat were recorded even at of 40 mM NaCl concentration when applied for longer duration of 7 days. In general barley Could tolerate 80 mM of NaCl with out ally adverse effect on the parameters studied except the plant biomass obtained 7 days after salt application. The adverse effects were prominent at 160 mM NaCl both in wheat and barley and more so when applied for longer duration. Under similar levels, NaCl stress was found to be more harmful to wheat than barley. A negative plant growth rate was recorded in wheat 7 days after application of 160 mm NaCl. Majority of the roots of wheat and barley were found in the 0.0 to 0.5 mm diameter category. The total plant pigments were reduced with NaCl levels both in wheat and barley and among the plant pigments chlorophyll was the most affected. With 160 mM NaCl treatment applied for 7 days total chlorophyll content was reduced by 57% in wheat and 33% in barley. Under NaCl salt stress, barley had higher plant growth, root development and chlorophyll content than wheat.