title: Salt stress induced alteration in growth characteristics of a grass Pennisetum alopecuroides.
abstract: Salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses that adversely affect crop productivity and quality. The present investigation was carried out to study the alterations in the growth characteristics of a grass species, Pennisetum alopecuroides under the influence of sodium chloride (NaCl) salinity. From the results it is clear that shoot length of Pennisetum alopecuroides was increased by 13.17% at 100 mM NaCl concentration while the root length was observed to be increased at 50 mM NaCI concentration by 26.93%.Maximum height of the plant was observed by 18.23% at 50 mM while shoot to root ratio was higher at 300 mM concentrations by 29.17% increase over the control. Moreover, the maximum percent increase in leaf area was recorded as 11.17% (100 mM). Fresh weight was increased by 50.92% at 100 mM while dry weight of the experimental grass was increased by 33.64% at the same concentration of salt to the rooting medium while moisture percentage was increased to a maximum by 24.61% at 50 mM. It appears that the grass species studied exhibit a moderate salinity tolerance as far as linear growth of plant is concerned.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Fergusson College, Pune, 411 004, India. ashishmane145@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Mane
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Karadge
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Samant
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D031782:Pennisetum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D055051:Salt-Tolerant Plants; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D012965:Sodium Chloride