Investigating the Effects of Different Levels of Irrigation Water Salinity on Growth Characteristics and Some Enzymatic and Biochemical Components of Salsola imbricata

Due to the importance of halophyte species in the reclamation of saline lands, the present study was conducted to investigating the effects of different levels of salinity on growth traits and enzymatic of Salsola imbricata in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications and seven levels of salinity including 3, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 dS m-1 at research greenhouse of National Salinity Research Center. Traits of stem length, root length, root-shoot length ratio, collar diameter, number of branches, protein content, catalase, peroxidase, and proline were measured. Results showed that different levels of salinity were significant for all studied traits except peroxidase. Increasing salinity levels from 3 dS m-1 to 60 dS m-1, significantly reduced shoot length at the rate of 20%, root length 30%, root-shoot length ratio 11%, collar diameter 38%, and the number of branches per plant 29%. Increasing salinity from 3 dS m-1 to 40 dS m-1 decreased protein content by 30%, but the protein content increased by 26.7% by increasing salinity up to 50 and 60 dS m1. Results of enzymatic activities showed that increasing salinity significantly increased the amount of catalase, peroxidase, and proline, so the highest of these compounds was observed at 60 dS m1.