Abstract
Abstract This study aimed to explore the changes in morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) in response to salt stress when grown using hydroponic techniques. The seedlings were subjected to five different concentrations (0 mM, 50 mM, 100 mM, 150 mM, and 200 mM) of NaCl for three weeks. During the salt stress, morphological properties (shoot length, root length, total plant weight, leaf number) were measured in every week. After 21 days of salt stress, physiological properties (water content and relative water content) and biochemical properties (proline, protein, phenol, reducing and non-reducing sugar content) were measured. Morphological and physiological properties were found decreased gradually with increasing salt concentrations. Biochemical properties such as proline and protein content increased remarkably, and total phenol content decreased gradually with increasing salt concentrations. Reducing sugar accumulation was higher in all treatments except 50 mM in comparison to control. Non-reducing sugar accumulation was decreased in 100 mM and 200 mM treatment, similar in 150 mM treatment, and increased in 50 mM treatment when compared to control. These findings render lettuce a salt-sensitive plant at higher salt concentration. However, changes in characteristics were realistic up to 50 mM salt concentration.
Highlights
Salinity is one of the most common abiotic factors that limit the productivity of crop plants
Growth reduction is perceived to be the general observation in plants caused by salinity stress
The present study found a significant growth reduction of lettuce plants after exposure to salinity stress
Summary
Salinity is one of the most common abiotic factors that limit the productivity of crop plants. About 4×104 hectare (ha) of land throughout the world every year loss the ability for agricultural production. Bangladesh has a coastal region, where increasing salinity is an alarming issue. About 20% of the country has a coastal area from which 53% of the land is affected by the salinity of varying degrees. More than 30% of the cultivable land in Bangladesh is in the coastal area, and about 1.056 million ha land out of 2.86 million ha are affected by differing degrees of salinity (Haque 2006). Salinity significantly reduces crop productivity and limits the cultivation of potential crops. That’s why soil salinity is considered as a significant limitation to agricultural development in the coastal regions of Bangladesh (Islam et al 1999)
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