Physiological Responses to Salt Stress in Young Umbu Plants

• Published in: Environmental and experimental botany Vol. 62; no. 1; p. 147
• Main Authors: da Silva, Elizamar Ciriaco, Nogueira, Rejane Jurema Mansur Custodios, de Araujo, Francisco Pinheiro, de Melo, Natoniel Franklin, de Azevedo Neto, Andre Dias
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.05.2008
• ISSN: 0098-8472

Physiological responses to salt stress in young umbu plants are examined. Salt stress tolerance in plants is a complex phenomenon that may involve developmental changes as well as physiological and biochemical processes. The results demonstrate that the shoot of young umbu plants is more sensitive to salinity than the root system. Considering that soluble carbohydrate contents in leaves and roots are much higher than free amino acids, results suggest a greater participation of carbohydrates than amino acids in maintaining water relations in both leaves and roots of umbu plants. The results suggest that young umbu plants tolerate salinity levels until 50mM NaCl without showing significant physiomorphologic alterations in the initial developmental phase.