Variation in the leaf sodium content of the Hordeum vulgare (barley) cultivar Maythorpe and its derived mutant cv. Golden Promise

Abstract

Tests for shoot and root sodium content were carried out on various barley cultivars (Hordeum vulgare) and experimental lines including wild barley (H. spontaneum) and derivatives. Lines were grown in hydroculture with and without the addition of salt (NaCl), and sodium concentrations in shoots and roots were determined. Variation in shoot sodium content was found between the various lines; in contrast, no significant differences were found between the lines tested for root sodium content. The most significant finding was the variation in shoot sodium content between the two cultivars Golden Promise and Maythorpe. Golden Promise is a direct γ-ray induced mutant of the cultivar Maythorpe and the reduced shoot sodium content of Golden Promise can be attributed to radiation treatment.