Influence of salicylic acid seed priming on growth and some biochemical attributes in wheat grown under saline conditions

A sand culture experiment was conducted to study the effect of salicylic acid seed priming on growth and some biochemical attributes in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown under saline conditions. Wheat seeds of cv. Inqlab and S-24 were soaked in water and 100 mg L -1 salicylic acid solution for 24 hours and sown in sand salinized with 0, 50 or 100 mM NaCl. Pots were irrigated with ¼ strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution. Fourteen days old seedlings were harvested and growth parameters (shoot and root length, and shoot and root dry weights) were recorded and chlorophyll a and b contents and soluble sugars (reducing and non-reducing) in the leaves were estimated. Salt stress significantly reduced all growth parameters. However, salicylic acid treatment alleviated the adverse effect of salinity on growth. Salinity decreased the chlorophyll a and b content and chlorophyll a/b ratio in both the lines, but reduction in chlorophyll a/b ratio was lower in salt tolerant wheat line S-24, which could be a useful marker for selection of salt tolerant wheat. Salinity (NaCl) stress considerably increased the accumulation of reducing, non-reducing and total soluble sugars in the leaves of 14 days old wheat seedlings of both cultivars. Salt tolerant line S-24 accumulated higher sugar content which could also be a useful marker for salt tolerance in wheat.