A pot experiment was conducted (in Duba, Saudi Arabia) to evaluate the impact of NaCl salinity (100, 200, 300 and 400 mM) on some physiological traits of coriander plants grown for 30 days in the greenhouse. Irrigating plants with saline water decreased N, P, K and Mg contents, but increased Na content in leaves. Raising salinity decreased chlorophyll (Chl) concentrations of leaves as well as Chl a to b ratio. Salinity induced a marked increase in total-soluble sugars, total-soluble proteins and proline concentrations of leaves. NaCl stress caused an increase in H2O2 and malondialdehyde (a peroxidation product) levels coupled with significant enhancement in the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase), reflecting the peroxidation of membrane lipids which led to the loss of membrane selective permeability. Shoot growth (height, fresh and dry masses) and leaf number were inhibited by increasing salinity, while both root growth and root to shoot ratio were increased. Therefore, the test variety of coriander seemed to be moderate salt-tolerant and is not promising to be cultivated in salinized soils with salt levels more than 200 mM, although it has been grown until 300 mM and died at 400 mM NaCl.
Key words: Coriandrum sativum L.; salinity; growth; minerals; chlorophyll; metabolites; antioxidants.
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