ACCUMULATION OF NITRATE IN BLADDER HAIRS OF ATRIPLEX SPECIES

Plants of Atriplex littoralis L. and Atriplex calotheca (Rafn.). Fries were grown under sodium nitrate and sodium chloride salinity. Concent rations of Na+, K+, Cl-, and NO3- were investigated in leaves and blad der hairs harvested from young leaves. The content of ions in bladder hairs was correlated with concentrations in young leaves. Na+ and Cl- concentrations were higher in bladders than in leaves. Accumulation of nitrate in tissues and bladders was observed in plants grown under ni trate salinity. This suggests that in the absence of chloride, nitrate may have an osmotic role.