Effect of Exogenous 24-Epibrassinolide on Salt Resistance of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) under Salinity Stress

The present study investigates the role of 24-epibrassinolide (EBL)in inducing plant tolerance to salinity. Seedlings of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) were grown in the presence of 70 mM NaCl and were sprayed with 10(-6) M EBL at 7 days after transplantation and were sampled at 28 day. The plants exposed to NaCl exhibited a significant decline in relative growth rate, net CO2 assimilation, stomatal conductance, transpiration and water use efficiency. However, the follow up treatment with EBL significantly improved the above parameters. EBL treated plants had greater relative growth rate compared to untreated plants when exposed to salt stress. Application of EBL increased photosynthesis by increasing stomatal conductance in both control and salt stressed plants and may have contributed to the enhanced growth. The water use efficiency was improved because CO2 assimilation is more important than the transpiration.