Germination and some metabolic characteristics in green gram seedlings as affected by sodium carbonate and bicarbonate

Abstract

Effects of Na2CO3 and NaHCO3 at equal conductivities (2, 4 and 6 S cm−1) on germination, seedling growth and some metabolites were studied in two cultivars of green gram (Phaseolus aureus Roxb. cv. Varsha and cv. Pusa Baiskhi) in Petri dishes and sand culture. With increasing conductivity both the salts depressed germination, length of shoot and root and their mass. NaHCO3 was more depressiv than Na2CO3. The contents of chlorophyll, RNA, protein and free amino acids were higher and affected to a lesser extent under salt stress in leaves of cv. Varsha than cv. Pusa Baiskhi. Cv. Pusa Baiskhi was generally more susceptible to salt stress than cv. Varsha.