M.B. Collado, M.J. Arturi, M.B. Aulicino, M.C. Molina
The development of salt tolerant crop plants is an important breeding objective. In this paper we study the usefulness of cell membrane stability for screening maize under salinity and their relationship with the different mechanisms of tolerance. Two tolerant lines were probed in two treatments: non saline (without NaCl), and saline (150mM NaCl). Seedlings were harvested every seven days. The lengths of shoot, root and the number of expanded leaf were recorded. The dry mass of shoot and root were determined. Cell membrane stability was estimated on: 2nd, 3rd and 4th leaf and root by the Injury Index (Ii). The Ii of 3rd leaf at 14 days and Ii measured on 4th leaf at 28 days showed differences in both genotypes in both treatments. These results, confirm the usefulness of measurement of the Membrane Stability to identify tolerance to saline stress. F564 had greater shoot growth and less membrane damage in its leaves than SC75. The greater growth seems to indicate less accumulation of Na+ and is associated to the Na+ exclusion mechanism, while SC75 seems to tolerate less Na+ in its shoot, associated with tissue tolerance.
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