Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-211005, India.
Effects of salicylic acid (SA) hardened (1.0 mM SA for 24 hours) mungbean seeds under induced salinity (NaCl @ 50, 100 and 200 mM) was studied in relation to growth, nitrate reductase (NR) activity and mineral concentrations at two growth stages (20 and 40 days). Soaked seeds revea1ed significant increase in growth under stress-induced conditions. Nitrate reductase (NR) activity, N, P and K accumulation were also found to be enhanced by salicylic acid under salt stress at the two growth stages. Salicylic acid inhibited the accumulation of Na+ under saline conditions. The findings suggest that salicylic acid regulates response of plants to salinity stress and, therefore, could be used to improve plant growth by stimulating nitrate reductase activity and mineral nutrient uptake as a plant growth regulator, especially under stress.
