Philosophiae Doctor - PhD (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology)

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Salt tolerance and modification of wheat salt resistance by plant hormones
(University of the Western Cape, 2004) Adam, Muftah Ahmed; Raitt, Lincoln; Aalbers, Johannes
The history of salt tolerance and the factors effecting salt resistance of plants were literature surveyed, and it was concluded that ion concentration, salt accumulation, compatible solutes and the genetic traits play a major role in the salt tolerance of plants. Differences in salt resistance of wheat cultivars were investigated at the germination and early seedling stages. Considerable intervarietal differences in salt resistance between wheat cultivars were reported. The interaction between salinity and plant hormones was studied and showed that N6- benzyladinin treatments caused some changes in some parameters that were studies, GA3 treatments showed more effects on these parameters of salt stressed plants. This study showed that the treatment with some organic acids, citric acid and malic acid, did not cause significant changes in the parameters measured of the wheat plants. No effects on seed germination were due to the decreases in the pH value due to the GA3 treatment were found. The study concludes that treatment of salt stressed wheat cultivars with GA3 could alleviate some of harmful effects of high salt levels, and that it could be useful to treat plants grown in brackish soil or saline environment.