Physiological responses of lentil (Lens culinarisMedik.)to salinity

ABSTRACT:An experiment with randomized complete block design in three replications was conducted in 2011 to evaluate physiological performance of lentil (Lens culinarisMedik.) under a non-saline (control) and three saline (4, 8 and 12 dsm-1NaCl) conditions in the greenhouse. Twenty seeds were sown in each pot filled with 900 g perlite. After emergence, seedlings were thinned and six plants were kept in each pot. The results indicated that Leaf temperature was increased,butleaves per plant and leaf chlorophyll contentindex (CCI) were decreased by increasing salinity. Leaves per plant and leaf CCIunder 8 and 12 dSm-1 salinities were significantly lower than those under non-saline condition.Leaf water content of lentil was significantly decreased under saline conditions.This trait was not statistically different between 4 and 8 dSm-1 and also between 8 and 12 dSm-1 salinities.Proline content of leaves under severe salinity was significantly higher than that under control and low and moderate salinities. However, proline contentunder 4 dSm-1salinitywas statistically similar to that of control. Grain yield per plant decreased as salinity increased. The extent of this reduction under 8 and 12 dSm-1 was more than that under non-saline and 4 dSm-1NaCl salinity. This reduction in grain yield was related to less leaves per plant, low CCI and leaf water content and high leaf temperature under saline conditions.