Salt stress effects on enzymes activities involved in carbon metabolism and nitrogen availability of two Tunisian durum wheat varieties

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Two varieties of durum wheat (Om Rabiaa and Karim), were analyzed and evaluated in the presence of increasing doses of NaCl (0, 100, 200 and 300 mM) in which we added different concentrations of nitrate (0.1, 3, 10 mM). The data obtained showed that presence of NaCl in the culture medium induces the increase of the salt accumulation levels (Na+, Cl−) and reduces the levels of K+ and NO3− in the cultivar Om Rabiaa. In Karim variety, ions that have been heavily accumulated following exposure to NaCl are Na+ and K+ while low levels of NO3− and Cl− have been detected. Those findings highlight the difference in the salinity tolerance of durum wheat cultivars also depending on nitrogen (N) availability, Karim cultivar being less sensitive to NaCl treatment than Om Rabiaa. These data also suggested a relationship between salt tolerance capacity and enhancement of nitrogen and carbon metabolisms enzyme activity.