Journal of Environmental Biology

Salt stress induced alteration in growth characteristics

of a grass Pennisetum alopecuroides

Author Details

A.V. Mane

(Corresponding author)

Department of Environmental Sciences, Fergusson College, Pune - 411 004, India

e-mail: ashishmane145@yahoo.co.in???

B.A. Karadge

Department of Botany, Shivaji University, Kolhapur - 416 004 , India

J.S. Samant

Department of Environmental Sciences, Shivaji University, Kolhapur - 416 004, India

Publication Data

Paper received:

23 July 2010

Revised received:

22 November 2010

Accepted:

20 December 2010

Abstract

Salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses that adversely affect crop productivity and quality. The present investigation was carried out to study the alterations in the growth characteristics of a grass species, Pennisetum alopecuroides under the influence of sodium chloride (NaCl) salinity. From the results it is clear that shoot length of Pennisetum alopecuroides was increased by 13.17% at 100 mM NaCl concentration while the root length was observed to be increased at 50 mM NaCl concentration by 26.93%. Maximum height of the plant was observed by 18.23% at 50 mM while shoot to root ratio was higher at 300 mM concentrations by 29.17% increase over the control. Moreover, the maximum percent increase in leaf area was recorded as 11.17% (100 mM). Fresh weight was increased by 50.92 % at 100 mM while dry weight of the experimental grass was increased by 33.64 % at the same concentration of salt to the rooting medium while moisture percentage was increased to a maximum by 24.61% at 50 mM. It appears that the grass species studied exhibit a moderate salinity tolerance as far as linear growth of plant is concerned.

Key words

Growth, Pennisetum alopecuroides, Sodium chloride, Salinity stress ?

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