小盐芥营养器官的结构特点与其盐渍环境的关系研究

利用石蜡切片法研究了盐生植物小盐芥(Thellungiella halophila)营养器官的解剖结构。结果表明：小盐芥根的初生结构中表皮细胞为1层,且细胞大而高度液泡化,根毛数量较少;皮层仅由外皮层和内皮层2层细胞构成,细胞大,排列紧密;根次生维管组织发达。茎的初生结构中外剀维管束8～10束,大小不等,呈一轮排列;髓和髓射线发达;茎次生结构中维管组织也很发达。根和茎的这些结构特点提高了植物体吸收、运输水分的能力,而且根的特殊结构和输导系统将盐分限制在根内,适应于盐渍环境所造成的渗透胁迫和干旱胁迫。小盐芥叶片较小,上、下表皮细胞各1层,细胞大而高度液泡化,叶肉中栅栏组织与海绵组织分化不明显,但叶绿体体积大、数目多,细胞间隙较大,通气性能好,光合效率高。这些特点对其适应干旱盐渍环境有重要意义。小盐芥上述结构特征与典型真盐生植物、旱生植物相去其远,其营养器官内也无盐腺、囊泡等泌盐结构。由此推论,小盐芥更倾向于似盐生植物(拒盐植物)。     

盐生植物海马齿耐盐的生理特性

以盐生植物海马齿为研究材料,分别用淡水、1/4海水、1/2海水、全海水浇灌15 d和30 d,研究盐生植物耐盐的生理特性和机理。海马齿植物在低于1/2的海水浇灌时,植物生长旺盛,主要表现为叶片增大和变厚,地上部分生物量增加;而全海水抑制了植物的生长。在盐胁迫下,海马齿植物中Na+的含量叶中最高,茎中含量次之,根中含量最低。长时间盐胁迫时,海马齿植物根、茎、叶中的相对含水量与淡水浇灌相比,变化不大,叶中略有增加;而脯氨酸含量显著增加,且可溶性糖的含量也比淡水浇灌的高。由此推测:海马齿植物主要以有机小分子作为渗透调节物质来维持细胞渗透压,在其耐盐中起着重要的作用。土壤中Na+的毒害,并没有减少土壤中可被植物利用的可交换K+,反而使其增加,说明海马齿植物根部对Na+的吸收能力和Na+/K+交换能力非常强。海马齿植物耐盐性强,还表现为能阻止盐胁迫对植物细胞原生质膜的氧化损伤,不破坏植物叶片内叶绿素的合成,能基本维持植物茎、叶中K+和根、茎中Mg2+的相对稳定。     

盐胁迫下木榄幼苗叶片的解剖学变化

对梯度盐度下木榄(Bruguiera gymnorrhiza)幼苗叶解剖特征进行观察,并分析木榄适应盐胁迫的形态学变化特点以及盐胁迫对植物生长的影响.在0‰～50‰盐度范围内,木榄胚轴均能正常萌发,但幼苗高度、鲜重以及叶面积与培养盐度之间存在着明显的负相关.随着盐度的增加,木榄叶的上(下)角质层和上(下)表皮层增厚,单宁细胞密度增大,上(下)内皮层变薄,叶肉细胞的胞间隙缩小;栅栏组织厚度因细胞的长度和宽度减小而变薄,而海绵组织厚度与培养盐度之问无明显的相关性,栅栏组织/海绵组织的比率下降.扫描电镜下栅栏组织细胞中的叶绿体数量和形态未见明显的变化,但叶绿体在细胞中的位置发生了改变.因此,盐胁迫下叶片栅栏组织厚度的下降、海绵组织中胞间隙的减少以及叶肉细胞中叶绿体的分布变化可能是导致植株光合效率下降和幼苗生长受阻的重要原因.     

盐胁迫对3种平欧杂种榛幼苗叶片解剖结构及离子吸收、运输与分配的影响

研究盐胁迫下3个品种平欧杂种榛幼苗叶片解剖结构和离子代谢特征,以揭示盐胁迫响应与适应机制及不同品种的耐盐性差异。以‘达维’、‘辽榛7号’、‘玉坠’2年生压条苗为材料,在盆栽条件下经轻度、中度、重度(分别为50、100、200 mmol/L NaCl)盐胁迫处理,设对照为0,研究幼苗叶片显微解剖结构参数和Na~+、K~+、Cl~-、Ca²⁺含量的变化及其在根、茎、叶中的吸收、运输和分配特征。不同品种平欧杂种榛叶片厚度、上表皮厚度、下表皮厚度、栅栏组织和海绵组织厚度随着盐胁迫程度的增强呈现出先增加后降低的特点,轻度和中度胁迫下各参数显著高于对照。中度盐胁迫显著提高了各品种叶片结构紧密度。盐胁迫导致平欧杂种榛根、茎、叶Na~+和Cl~-含量明显高于对照。盐胁迫下,Na~+和Cl~-在叶中的绝对含量明显高于茎和根,但二者的增幅以根中最大,叶中最小,表明平欧杂种榛根系首先会吸收并截留一定数量的Na~+和Cl~-,然后将其运输至茎和叶中。与对照相比,轻度和中度盐胁迫下根、茎对K~+和Ca²⁺的吸收保持稳定或减少,叶对K~+和Ca²⁺...     

NaCl胁迫对长春花幼苗离子分布和光合作用的影响

以0、50、100、150、200和250mmol·L^-1NaCl的1／2Hoagland营养液处理长春花（Catharanthus roseus）幼苗5d,测定其生物量,根、茎及叶中不同组织细胞中无机离子相对含量,叶绿素含量及光合生理指标。结果表明：NaCl能显著降低长春花幼苗的鲜质量和干质量;对根、茎和叶片横切面X射线徽区分析表明,NaCl胁迫导致长春花体内各组织细胞中Na^＋和Cl^-相对含量显著增加,但在各器官、组织中分布稍有不同：与对照相比,根和茎中都是表皮细胞中增加幅度最大,中柱细胞次之,皮层细胞最低;在叶片中亦是表皮细胞增加幅度最大,依次是皮层细胞、海绵组织细胞及栅栏组织细胞。NaCl胁迫下,K^＋和Ca^2＋相对含量对其的响应特征在不同器官中亦不相同：与对照相比,在根和茎皮层及中柱细胞中的下降幅度低于表皮;而叶中则是栅栏组织细胞最低。盐胁迫能够抑制长春花幼苗生长,打破其体内的离子平衡,但植物为降低盐胁迫的伤害而将过多的Na^＋和Cl^-聚集于表皮细胞。NaCl胁迫下,长春花幼苗叶绿素含量、光合速率（Pn）、细胞间隙CO2浓度（Ci）、气孔导度（Gs）、蒸腾速率（Tr）显著降低,气孔限制值（Ls）升高,说明气孔限制是降低长春花幼苗光合速率的主要因素。     

中国假鹰爪属和皂帽花属植物叶的形态结构及其分类学意义

利用扫描电镜技术、叶片离析法和石蜡切片法研究了假鹰爪属Desmos 4种植物和皂帽花属Dasy-maschalon 3种植物叶片的形态结构。结果表明：假鹰爪属植物叶片近轴面表皮具大型球状含晶簇细胞和不含晶簇的表皮细胞两种类型,远轴面表皮细胞均具一较小的晶簇;叶肉组织明显分化为栅栏组织细胞和海绵组织细胞,油细胞分布于第2层的栅栏组织和海绵组织内,单位毫米叶宽油细胞数为4～6个;主脉维管组织被薄壁细胞分隔成束状。皂帽花属植物叶片近轴面表皮细胞形状相同,均具一晶簇,远轴面表皮细胞的晶簇和近轴面表皮细胞的晶簇相似;靠近上、下表皮的叶肉组织均分化为栅栏组织细胞,在两层栅栏组织细胞之间分化为一至几层海绵组织细胞,油细胞分布于海绵组织内,单位毫米叶宽油细胞数为2～3个;主脉维管组织形成连续的环状。由此可见两属叶的结构具有明显的差异,因而支持假鹰爪属和皂帽花属为两个独立属的观点。     

NaCl胁迫对两种铁线子属果树叶片组织结构的影响

应用石蜡切片方法,结合光学显微镜、扫描电镜研究NaCl胁迫下两种铁线子属果树古巴牛乳树Manilkara roxburghiana、人心果Manilkara zapota的叶片形态结构变化。结果表明,叶表皮、解剖结构与NaCl处理浓度有一定相关性,随着处理浓度增加,叶片角质膜的皱褶增多,气孔开度增大,气孔器进一步变形,栅栏组织更加疏松,海绵组织和维管束遭受破坏,韧皮部受损早于木质部。叶内部结构在较低浓度NaCl(0、0.2%、0.4%)处理下保持正常,在高浓度胁迫下(0.6%、0.8%)则表现异常,说明叶内部结构的变化较表皮滞后。     

酸枣叶片结构可塑性对自然梯度干旱生境的适应特征

叶片是植物体暴露于环境中面积最大的器官,其最易感知环境变化而发生形态和结构上的改变。为探究植株叶片结构对不同生境的适应机理,研究以生长在烟台-石家庄-宁夏-新疆不同地域气候条件形成的自然梯度干旱环境中的酸枣为试验材料,应用植物显微技术研究酸枣叶片的结构的可塑性对不同自然梯度干旱环境的适应特征。结果表明:酸枣叶表皮着生有表皮毛,表皮细胞外覆有角质层与蜡质。叶肉为全栅型,栅栏组织发达,海绵组织退化,叶肉中有晶体及大量的分泌细胞。从烟台至新疆随生境梯度干旱加剧,酸枣叶片叶面积逐渐变小,叶片厚度依次增加,叶表皮角质层加厚,且上角质层厚度大于下角质层厚度;叶片上下表皮细胞长径及短径先增后降,栅栏组织总厚度和密度依次增大、层数减少,各层栅栏组织细胞的长径逐渐增加。叶脉薄壁细胞相对厚度逐渐减小,导管管径增大,晶体(草酸钙晶体)数增多。在梯度干旱环境中酸枣植株通过减小叶面积、提高栅栏组织密度、增加叶片及角质层厚度降低蒸腾作用,减少水分散失;通过增大导管管径提高水分利用率;通过增加晶体数量提高叶片机械性能,改变细胞的渗透势、提高吸水和保水能力。上述叶片结构的变化是酸枣植株长期对不同自然梯度干旱生境的适应特征。由此可知,叶片形态结构中叶面积、叶片厚度、角质层及叶肉组织(栅栏组织)随环境变化的可塑性较大。     

新疆四种补血草属植物叶片的解剖学研究

利用叶片离析法和石蜡切片法研究了补血草属4种植物叶片的形态结构。结果表明:(1)4种植物的叶片有许多共同的结构适应特征,表皮细胞排列紧密,表面有厚的角质层;气孔类型均为不等型,气孔位置为平置或略微下陷;上下表皮还具有多细胞构成的盐腺;栅栏组织发达,多为等面叶;存在粘液细胞和单宁细胞;机械组织和维管组织都不发达等。(2)不同种间有不同的结构适应特征,如表皮细胞的形状、大小、垂周壁饰样,气孔密度,盐腺密度,叶片厚度和栅栏组织厚度等。通过叶的结构特征反映出盐生植物与旱生植物的不同。     

盐胁迫对不同品系杨树幼苗生长、细胞超微结构和离子稳态的影响

以欧美杨（Populus canadensis）南杨1号和南杨2号为实验材料,研究了NaCl胁迫对其幼苗生长、细胞超微形态结构和离子分配等的影响。结果发现,低盐（75mmol·L^–1NaCl）胁迫对南杨1号生长的抑制显著高于南杨2号;高盐（150mmol·L^–1NaCl）胁迫对2种品系生长的抑制则差异不显著。低盐胁迫下,南杨1号叶片细胞结构破坏程度明显高于南杨2号;南杨2号根中所有细胞,新生枝条表皮、皮层及木质部细胞,叶片上表皮、栅栏和海绵组织细胞均维持较低的Na＋含量,同时叶片栅栏和海绵组织细胞维持较高的Mg2＋含量,从而表现为向枝条和叶片的Na＋流量显著偏低。维持细胞内的离子稳态可能是南杨2号耐盐性高于南杨1号的重要原因。     

THE EFFECT OF MODERATE SALT STRESS ON LEAF ANATOMY IN HIBISCUS CANNABINUS (KENAF) AND ITS RELATION TO LEAF AREA

Kenaf responded to salt stress in a manner that was typical of moderately salt tolerant non-halophytes. Increase in leaf area was more sensitive to salinity than either leaf emergence rate or dry matter accumulation. Dry weight was reduced only above a threshold of approximately 37 mM NaCl while leaf area was already significantly reduced at this salt concentration. Measurement of epidermal cell cross sectional area and epidermal cell numbers showed that the salt induced reduction in leaf area was due primarily to smaller epidermal cell size. Epidermal cell numbers were also significantly reduced by salinity. Stomatal density increased with increasing salt stress and there was no effect on leaf thickness.     

Contribution of NaCl excretion to salt resistance of Aeluropus littoralis (Willd) Parl

Aeluropus littoralis is a perennial halophyte, native to coastal zones. Although it is usually exposed to high saline, this plant grows normally without toxicity symptoms. In order to assess leaf salt excretion, different growth parameters, Na(+), K(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+) and Cl(-) concentrations, as well as excreted ions were examined in plants grown for 2 months in the presence of various salinity levels (0-800 mM NaCl). In addition, salt crystals, salt glands and other leaf epidermal structures were investigated. Results showed that total plant growth decreased linearly with increase to medium salinity. This reduction concerns mainly shoot growth. In addition, this species was able to maintain its shoot water content at nearly 50% of the control even when subjected to 800 mM NaCl. Root water content seemed to be unaffected by salt. Sodium and chloride ion contents in shoots and in roots increased with salinity concentrations, in contrast to our observation for potassium. However, calcium and magnesium contents were not greatly affected by salinity. Excreted salts in A. littoralis leaves were in favor of sodium and chloride, but against potassium, calcium and magnesium which were retained in plants. Sodium and chloride were excreted from special salt glands, which were scattered on the both leaf surfaces. In addition to salt glands, papillae were the most frequent epidermal structure found on A. littoralis leaves, and are likely involved in A. littoralis salt resistance.     

Combined effects of long-term salinity and soil drying on growth, water relations, nutrient status and proline accumulation of Sesuvium portulacastrum

The interaction between soil drying and salinity was studied in the perennial halophyte, Sesuvium portulacastrum. Rooted cuttings were individually cultivated for three months in silty-sandy soil under two irrigation modes: 100 and 25% of field capacity (FC). The amount of the evapotranspirated water was replaced by a nutrient solution containing either 0 or 100 mM NaCl. Whole-plant growth, leaf water content, leaf water potential (Psi(w)), and Na+, K+, and proline concentrations in the tissues were measured. When individually applied, both drought and salinity significantly restricted whole-plant growth, with a more marked effect of the former stress. However, the effects of the two stresses were not additive on whole-plant biomass or on leaf expansion. Root growth was more sensitive to salt than to soil drying, the latter being even magnified by the adverse impact of salinity. Leaf water content was significantly reduced following exposure to water-deficit stress, but was less affected in salt-treated plants. When simultaneously submitted to water-deficit stress and salinity, plants displayed higher values of water and potassium use efficiencies, leaf proline and Na+ concentrations, associated with lower leaf water potential (-1.87 MPa), suggesting the ability of S. portulacastrum to use Na+ and proline for osmotic adjustment.     

Salt tolerance, salt accumulation, and ionic homeostasis in an epidermal bladder-cell-less mutant of the common ice plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum

The aerial surfaces of the common or crystalline ice plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L., a halophytic, facultative crassulacean acid metabolism species, are covered with specialized trichome cells called epidermal bladder cells (EBCs). EBCs are thought to serve as a peripheral salinity and/or water storage organ to improve survival under high salinity or water deficit stress conditions. However, the exact contribution of EBCs to salt tolerance in the ice plant remains poorly understood. An M. crystallinum mutant lacking EBCs was isolated from plant collections mutagenized by fast neutron irradiation. Light and electron microscopy revealed that mutant plants lacked EBCs on all surfaces of leaves and stems. Dry weight gain of aerial parts of the mutant was almost half that of wild-type plants after 3 weeks of growth at 400 mM NaCl. The EBC mutant also showed reduced leaf succulence and leaf and stem water contents compared with wild-type plants. Aerial tissues of wild-type plants had approximately 1.5-fold higher Na(+) and Cl(-) content than the mutant grown under 400 mM NaCl for 2 weeks. Na(+) and Cl(-) partitioning into EBCs of wild-type plants resulted in lower concentrations of these ions in photosynthetically active leaf tissues than in leaves of the EBC-less mutant, particularly under conditions of high salt stress. Potassium, nitrate, and phosphate ion content decreased with incorporation of NaCl into tissues in both the wild type and the mutant, but the ratios of Na(+)/K(+) and Cl(-)/NO(3)(-)content were maintained only in the leaf and stem tissues of wild-type plants. The EBC mutant showed significant impairment in plant productivity under salt stress as evaluated by seed pod and seed number and average seed weight. These results clearly show that EBCs contribute to succulence by serving as a water storage reservoir and to salt tolerance by maintaining ion sequestration and homeostasis within photosynthetically active tissues of M. crystallinum.     

Salinity Stiffens the Epidermal Cell Walls of Salt-Stressed Maize Leaves: Is the Epidermis Growth-Restricting?

As a result of salt (NaCl)-stress, sensitive varieties of maize (Zea mays L.) respond with a strong inhibition of organ growth. The reduction of leaf elongation investigated here has several causes, including a modification of the mechanical properties of the cell wall. Among the various tissues that form the leaf, the epidermis plays a special role in controlling organ growth, because it is thought to form a rigid outer leaf coat that can restrict elongation by interacting with the inner cell layers. This study was designed to determine whether growth-related changes in the leaf epidermis and its cell wall correspond to the overall reduction in cell expansion of maize leaves during an osmotic stress-phase induced by salt treatment. Two different maize varieties contrasting in their degree of salt resistance (i.e., the hybrids Lector vs. SR03) were compared in order to identify physiological features contributing to resistance towards salinity. Wall loosening-related parameters, such as the capacity of the epidermal cell wall to expand, β-expansin abundance and apoplastic pH values, were analysed. Our data demonstrate that, in the salt-tolerant maize hybrid which maintained leaf growth under salinity, the epidermal cell wall was more extensible under salt stress. This was associated with a shift of the epidermal apoplastic pH into a range more favourable for acid growth. The more sensitive hybrid that displayed a pronounced leaf growth-reduction was shown to have stiffer epidermal cell walls under stress. This may be attributable to the reduced abundance of cell wall-loosening β-expansin proteins following a high salinity-treatment in the nutrient solution (100 mM NaCl, 8 days). This study clearly documents that salt stress impairs epidermal wall-loosening in growth-reduced maize leaves.     

Ability of leaf mesophyll to retain potassium correlates with salinity tolerance in wheat and barley

This work investigated the importance of the ability of leaf mesophyll cells to control K⁺ flux across the plasma membrane as a trait conferring tissue tolerance mechanism in plants grown under saline conditions. Four wheat (Triticum aestivum and Triticum turgidum) and four barley (Hordeum vulgare) genotypes contrasting in their salinity tolerance were grown under glasshouse conditions. Seven to 10‐day‐old leaves were excised, and net K⁺ and H⁺ fluxes were measured from either epidermal or mesophyll cells upon acute 100 mM treatment (mimicking plant failure to restrict Na⁺ delivery to the shoot) using non‐invasive microelectrode ion flux estimation (the MIFE) system. To enable net ion flux measurements from leaf epidermal cells, removal of epicuticular waxes was trialed with organic solvents. A series of methodological experiments was conducted to test the efficiency of different methods of wax removal, and the impact of experimental procedures on cell viability, in order to optimize the method. A strong positive correlation was found between plants' ability to retain K⁺ in salt‐treated leaves and their salinity tolerance, in both wheat and especially barley. The observed effects were related to the ionic but not osmotic component of salt stress. Pharmacological experiments have suggested that voltage‐gated K⁺‐permeable channels mediate K⁺ retention in leaf mesophyll upon elevated NaCl levels in the apoplast. It is concluded that MIFE measurements of NaCl‐induced K⁺ fluxes from leaf mesophyll may be used as an efficient screening tool for breeding in cereals for salinity tissue tolerance.     

Plasticity in sunflower leaf and cell growth under high salinity

A group of sunflower lines that exhibit a range of leaf Na ⁺ concentrations under high salinity was used to explore whether the responses to the osmotic and ionic components of salinity can be distinguished in leaf expansion kinetics analysis. It was expected that at the initial stages of the salt treatment, leaf expansion kinetics changes would be dominated by responses to the osmotic component of salinity, and that later on, ion inclusion would impose further kinetics changes. It was also expected that differential leaf Na ⁺ accumulation would be reflected in specific changes in cell division and expansion rates. Plants of four sunflower lines were gradually treated with a relatively high (130 mm NaCl) salt treatment. Leaf expansion kinetics curves were compared in leaves that were formed before, during and after the initiation of the salt treatment. Leaf areas were smaller in salt‐treated plants, but the analysis of growth curves did not reveal differences that could be attributed to differential Na⁺ accumulation, since similar changes in leaf expansion kinetics were observed in lines with different magnitudes of salt accumulation. Nevertheless, in a high leaf Na⁺‐including line, cell divisions were affected earlier, resulting in leaves with proportionally fewer cells than in a Na⁺‐excluding line. A distinct change in leaf epidermal pavement shape caused by salinity is reported for the first time. Mature pavement cells in leaves of control plants exhibited typical lobed, jigsaw‐puzzle shape, whereas in treated plants, they tended to retain closer‐to‐circular shapes and a lower number of lobes.     

能源植物杂交狼尾草对NaCl胁迫的响应及其耐盐阈值

以能源植物杂交狼尾草(Pennisetum americanum × P. purpureum)为实验材料, 用沙培盆栽的方法, 分别用0、0.3%、0.5%、0.9%和1.2%的NaCl处理4周后, 测定植株鲜重、干重、含水量、株高、分蘖数和不同部位的离子含量, 以确定其耐盐阈值和耐盐方式。结果表明, 随着NaCl浓度的增加, 杂交狼尾草的鲜重、干重、株高和分蘖数都显著降低, 地上部分鲜重和干重分别在NaCl浓度为0.568%和0.570%时下降了50%, 1.2% NaCl处理的杂交狼尾草几乎全部死掉。表明杂交狼尾草的耐盐阈值为0.57%; 但植株含水量和功能叶的Na⁺含量变化不明显, 老叶Na⁺含量在NaCl浓度为0.9%时明显升高, 是对照的2倍; 随NaCl浓度的升高, 根中的Na⁺含量显著升高, 在NaCl浓度为0.9%时, 根中的Na⁺含量达到对照的3倍以上。Na⁺含量在功能叶, 老叶和根中含量依次升高; 随NaCl浓度的升高, 地上部分和根中的K⁺含量都无明显变化; 随NaCl浓度的升高, 根中的Na⁺/K⁺明显增加, 而地上部分Na⁺/K⁺只有当NaCl浓度为0.9%时明显增加。以上结果表明杂交狼尾草具有一定的耐盐性, 其耐盐方式为拒盐, 耐盐阈值为0.57% (约100 mmol·L^-1)。     

Evaluation of orange-fleshed sweet potato (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ipomoea batatas</Emphasis> L.) genotypes for salt tolerance through shoot apex culture under in vitro NaCl mediated salinity stress conditions

Fifteen genotypes of sweet potato were evaluated for salinity stress tolerance under in vitro NaCl mediated salinity stress conditions (MS, MS + 0.5% and MS + 1.0% NaCl). The growth parameters such as number of leaves, number of shoots, number of roots, length of plantlets and length of roots decreased significantly among the genotypes with increase in level of salinity. Of the 15 genotypes tested, six genotypes (108X1, 90/606, 90/696, CIP 8, S-30X15 and SP-61) were unable to sprout even at 0.5% NaCl and were characterized as susceptible to salt stress, three genotypes (CIP 6, 90/774 and CIP 3) which could tolerate 0.5% NaCl as moderately tolerant and six genotypes (CIP 12, CIP 13, JO 14, JP 13, SB-198/115 and Gouri) as tolerant to salinity at 1.0% NaCl. Amongst the six genotypes showing tolerance to 1.0% NaCl, the exotic genotypes––JP 13, CIP 12 and indigenous one SB-198/115 continued to exhibit significant higher values for growth parameters over the susceptible one. Based on the performance under NaCl mediated salinity stress (1.0%), the pattern of salinity tolerance in the genotypes through shoot apex culture was JP 13 > SB-198/115 > JO 14 > Gouri > CIP 12 > CIP 13. The effect of salt stress on the activity of antioxidative enzymes was studied in leaves of 8-week-old plantlets of those six genotypes, which responded at higher NaCl stress along with a susceptible genotype 90/606. In leaves of salt stressed plants, superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) and catalase (CAT) activities increased when compared with the stress free control. The increase was more pronounced in the tolerant genotypes than that in the susceptible one. These results indicate that oxidative stress may play an important role in salt stressed sweet potato plants and that the greater protection of tolerant plants from salt induced oxidative damage results, at least in part, through the increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes.     

Aster tripolium L. and Sesuvium portulacastrum L.: two halophytes, two strategies to survive in saline habitats.

Aster tripolium L. (Dollart, Germany) and Sesuvium portulacastrum L. (Dakhla, Morocco) are potential halophytic vegetables, fodder plants, and ornamentals for re-vegetating saline land. To compare their strategies involved in salt tolerance both plants were grown with 0%, 1.5%, and 3% (Aster) or 0%, 2.5%, and 5% (Sesuvium) NaCl in the watering solution. The growth rate was reduced in both species with increasing NaCl concentrations. The quotient of Na(+)/K(+) indicates that Aster accumulates more K(+) in comparison to Na(+) while the reverse is true for Sesuvium. Osmolality of the leaf sap increased with increasing NaCl concentration in both Aster and Sesuvium. Transpiration rate was severely reduced in both Aster (3%) and Sesuvium (5%) plants after 10 d of NaCl watering. The CO(2) assimilation rate decreased in Aster (3%) and Sesuvium (5%) NaCl-treated plants from day 5 to day 10. The most important results from chlorophyll fluorescence measurements were derived from the non-photochemical quenching analysis (NPQ). First, both plants had linearly increasing levels of NPQ with increasing NaCl concentrations. Second, Sesuvium had almost half the NPQ value when compared to Aster under increased soil salinity. In Aster P-ATPase activities were decreased in plants treated with 3% NaCl after three days of treatment, F-ATPase activities increased with increasing NaCl concentrations and no clear changes were measured in V-ATPase activities. In Sesuvium any changes could be observed in the three ATPase activities determined. To conclude, Aster and Sesuvium use different strategies in adaptation to soil salinity.