Maa. Gadallah et T. Ramadan, EFFECTS OF ZINC AND SALINITY ON GROWTH AND ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE OF CARTHAMUS-TINCTORIUS L, Biologia plantarum, 39(3), 1997, pp. 411-418
Changes in growth and anatomical structure of vascular tissues in stem
, root and leaf of safflower plants grown in NaCl and CaCl2 solutions
having different osmotic potentials (Psi(S) from 0 to -0.9 MPa) with a
ddition of 0, 10 and 20 mg dm(-3) zinc were studied. Shoot and root le
ngths, fresh and dry masses and fresh/dry mass ratio were lower in sal
t-stressed plants compared to unstressed plants. Salinity induced stru
ctural changes in stem, root and leaf tissues; few xylem vessels with
smaller size were noticed in stressed plants. The higher concentration
of Zn improved growth especially in roots and enhanced xylem formatio
n in comparison to stressed plants grown at the same osmotic potential
without Zn. Zn also protected xylem distructure by salinity in leaves
.