Evaluation of Salt Stress Effect on the Agro-Physiological Traits of Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L.) at the Seedling Stage

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of salt stress on some agro-physiological traits in ten varieties of bread (Triticum aestivum L.) and durum (Triticum turgidum L.) wheats in seedling stage. A greenhouse experiment was carried out as a split plot experiment based on a completely randomized design with four replications in hydroponic condition. Different agronomic and physiological traits (such as Na, K, Ca contents and relative water content (RWC)) were studied. Salinity showed significant effect on all of the studied traits, except for root dry weight and the ratio of Naﰦ. Increase in NaCl level led to significant reductions in all studied traits. The studied genotypes showed significant difference for radicle length, leaf length, seedling dry weight, leaf dry weight, root dry weight, RWC and Na, K, Ca concentrations and Naﲯ and Naﰦ ratios. The genotype × salinity interaction was significant for RWC, Na, Ca and Naﰦ. The salt stress increased the leaf Na while it decreased the K and Ca2 concentrations. The greatest shoot dry weight (0.035 g), root dry weight (0.024 g) and Naﰦ ratio (1.71) were found in genotype Alamot (bread wheat) and the greatest plantlet length (12 cm) was observed in genotype Verinak. The greatest rootlet length (14.63 cm), dry weight of seedlings (0.057 g), RWC (82.20%), membrane stability (0.59), K (3.38 mg/g dry weight) and the smallest Naﲯ ratio (0.17) were detected in genotype Toos (bread wheat). The genotype Toos was identified as the most tolerant genotype to salt stress.