RESPONSE OF SEEDS OF LUPINUS-TERMIS AND VICIA-FABA TO THE INTERACTIVE EFFECT OF SALINITY AND ASCORBIC-ACID OR PYRIDOXINE

The interactive effect of salinity and presoaking in ascorbic acid or phyridoxine on germination, seedling growth, and some relevant metabolic changes of Lupinus termis and Vicia faba seeds were studied. Germination studies indicated that broad bean tolerated NaCl salinity up to 240m M NaCl and lupin to 200m M NaCl. The lengths of roots and shoots and their water content, as well as dry matter yield, remained more or less unchanged up to the level of 80m M NaCl. Salinity induced marked progressive increases of carbohydrates and proline in broad bean and soluble protein in lupin seedlings, irrespective of the salinity level used. The other organic solutes (soluble protein in broad bean and carbohydrates in lupin seedlings) remained more or less unchanged at low and moderate levels of NaCl. However, under the higher salinity levels, in lupin the losses in carbohydrates were accompanied by increases in soluble protein, whereas in broad bean an opposite effect was obtained. The level of 40m M NaCl had a pronounced stimulatory effect on the all the variables studied. Presoaking seeds in either ascorbic acid or pyridoxine counteracted the adverse effects of salinity on germination and seedling growth as well as on some metabolic mechanisms of lupin and broad bean plants. The importance of these processes to the salinity tolerance of broad bean and lupin have been discussed. © 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers.