Physiological responses of Lentil (Lentil culinaris Medik) to salinity stress and foliar application salicylic acid

Among the environmental stresses, salinity is a major limiting factor in world legumes production is considered. In this study, sodium chloride and Salicylic acid interaction on growth parameters were investigated in greenhouse with factorial arrangement in randomized complete block design with three replications. The plant consisted of three cultivars of lentil (Kimiya, Kermanshah and Gachsaran), exposed to different concentrations of sodium chloride (0, 60 and 120 mM NaCl) and solution sprayed by salicylic acid (0, 0.2 and 0.5 mM) were used. In plants only exposed to sodium chloride, with the increase of sodium chloride concentration, chlorophylls, carotenoids and relative water content decreased compared to control while, amount of soluble sugar, electrolyte leakage, MDA, proline and amount of sodium and chloride accumulation increased. In plants exposed to sodium chloride and Salicylic acid, compared with those were only exposed to salinity, in the same concentration of sodium chloride photosynthetic pigments and relative water content were higher, and amount of soluble sugar, electrolyte leakage, MDA, proline and amount of Na accumulation decreased compared to plants only exposed to sodium chloride. The result showed that spray of Salicylic acid (as an antioxidant) caused resistance against salt stress and decreased side effects of sodium chloride in Lens culinaris Medik. Kimia variety in foliar application with 0.2 mM salicylic acid and high NaCl levels had the highest relative water content, proline, soluble sugars, chlorophyll and carotenoid.