Salt Induced Changes In Growth, Photosynthetic Pigments And Total Carbohydrate Content In Two Brassica Juncea Cultivars (L.)

Soil salinity is a serious threat for the production of crops in the major areas of the cultivated land. Two cultivars of Brassica juncea L. cv. RH-30 and Laxmi were procured from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. Growth was analyzed in the presence of salinity (NaCl) stress having concentrations 50 mM, 100 mM and 150 mM. All treatments of NaCl decreased seed germination, seedling growth, root and shoot length and fresh and dry weight. Salinity stress also affected photosynthetic pigments (chl a,chl b,carotenoids) and total carbohydrate contents. Maximum reduction was observed at 150mM concentration. RH-30 cultivar was found to be more tolerant than Laxmi with response to the parameters studied.