Response of fenugreek to short-term salinity stress in relation to lipid peroxidation, antioxidant activity and protein content

To investigate the effect of salinity stress on membrane stability index, membrane lipid peroxidation, catalase activity and protein content of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum), an experiment with five levels of short-term salinity stress (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM) was carried out in laboratory of Agriculture Faculty of Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Iran. The treatments were arranged based on a completely randomized design with three replicates. Salinity stress caused a significant reduction in protein content and membrane stability index compared to control. The mentioned parameters decreased with increasing in salinity concentration, so that the lowest and highest values of these traits belonged to 200 and 0 mM salinity. malondialdehyde and other aldehydes content of shoot and root as the measure of membrane lipid peroxidation and catalase activity were increased in response to short-term salinity stress. Increased catalase in this plant indicates the tolerance capacity of the plant to protect itself from oxidative damage induced by NaCl.