Effect of Salinity Stress on Some Physiological Traits and Electrophoresis Pattern of Leaf Proteins of Two Barley Genotypes

This experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the effect of salinity stress on some traits of two barley genotypes (Hordeum vulgare L.) at greenhouse of Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran. A factorial experiment was carried out based on randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Treatments included two barley genotypes (Afzal (salt-tolerant) and Ligne527 (salt-sensitive)) and five levels of salinity (Control, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mM NaCl). Results showed that salinity left significant effects on leaf RWC, chlorophyll a and b, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and protein concentrations, sodium/potassium ratio and yield components of barley genotypes. Based on the electrophoresis pattern, protein bands were increased by increasing the salinity levels and protein bands with different molecular weight were observed in different salinity levels. It was found that high concentration of potassium ion along with low concentrations of sodium and proline in barley leaf can be used as a criterion for selection and planting this crop in saline conditions. In addition, identification and isolation of the genes encoding salt resistance proteins in barely and transferring of these genes to sensitive genotypes of crop plants can be useful for breeding and generation of tolerant varieties to salinity.