Salinity Effects on Growth and Ionic Relations of two Triticale Varieties Differing in Salt Tolerance

Two varieties of triticale possessing differential tolerance to salinity were grown in a glass-house in nutrient solution with or without the addition of 50, 100 and 150 mM NaCl. Plants were harvested after 20, 30, 37 and 44 days of vegetative growth. Relatively salt sensitive variety had slightly better growth in nutrient solution without salt throughout the study period but it could not survive at 150 mM NaCl treatment upto the final harvest. Better relative growth rates of the salt tolerant variety were observed at all salt levels during the four harvests. A significant negative correlation between Cl in shoot tissue water and the growth depression was observed for the salt sensitive variety. Better salt tolerance of the relatively salt tolerant variety seemed to be due to its ability to avoid salt build-up in plant body which was confirmed by short term Na and Cl uptake from labelled solution of 100 mM NaCl.