An evalution of 19 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars regarding the response to salinity stress

This research were carried out to evaluate physiological responses of wheat cultivars to salt stress using a factorial experiment cultivars (Chamran، Karchia66، Ghods، Tjan، Atrak، Roshan، Kavir، Mahoti، Alvand، Mahdavi، Niknejad، Biston، Sardari، Felat، Tabasi، Sorkhtokhm، Golestan، Darab2، Azadi) at seedling growth stage in two salinity levels (0 as control and 10 ds m-2 NaCl solution) in Islamic Azad Uni، Shoushtar branch in the year 2012. Acording to cluster analysis، Karchia 66، Niknejad، Mahoti، Mahdavi، Sorktokhm and Tabasi cultivars belonged to the first cluster and tolerated salt stress. Atrak، Qods، Azadi، Tajan، Chamran، Darab2، Ghods and Golestan located in the third cluster and were sensitive to salt tolerance. Results indicated that Atrak، Qods، Azadi cultivars had minimum photosynthesis and seedling dry weight، longest seed emergence time، maximum malondealdehid concentration (cell memberane damage) and leaf Na+concentration. Wheat cultivars belonging to the first cluster had lower leaf Na+concentration and higher K/Na ratio، relative water content، phytosentesis and dry matter under salty stress condition. It seemed that leaf K/Na ratio، relative water content، dry matter and malondealdehid concentration were suitable for salt tolerance wheat cultivar in seedling stage.