Effect of salinity on water relations, sodium accumulation, chlorophyll content and proteolytic enzymes in a wild wheat

The effect of 50 to 200 mM NaCl on two lines (CP with solid stem and CV wit h hollow stem) of xHaynaldoticum sardoum was studied. NaCl significantly re duced root and shoot fresh and dry masses, root length and less markedly sh oot length of CP and CV plants, The sodium accumulated in the leaves in rel ation to the concentration of NaCl and length of the treatment; CP leaves c ontained twice as much sodium as CV leaves. The leaf chlorophyll alb ratio was not affected by NaCl, NaCl decreased the leaf water and osmotic potenti als. The pressure potential increased due to the increased concentration of dissolved solutes in the leaf, particularly sodium. The proteinase and exo peptidase activities increased during NaCl treatment.