Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials
Open Access

Abstract

In the Maghreb especially in arid and semi-arid regions, more than 30% of irrigation water is charged with salt. Wheat is facing this problem in Algeria. Other alternative factors may limit the extent taken by salinization of land and water. For this, we proposed to study the effect of a trace element: Zinc (ZnSO4 source) on the evaluation of salt stress on durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.); Simeto variety. Grains have been subjected to different doses of NaCl (0, 25, 50, 75, 100 mM) with 5 levels of Zn (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1 mM ZnSO4). After 14 days of treatment, results showed that salt stress has caused morphological and physiological changes in leaves and roots. The percentage of germination decreased for different doses of NaCl. Along with these, salt stress treatments induced highly significant decrease (p<0.001) in leaf lengths and root lengths (p<0.05). Proline accumulation observed for high NaCl concentrations (75 and 100 mM). In addition, proline content recorded after application of zinc and its amount measured relatively different by reducing the adverse effects at the doses of 25 and 50 mM while they were not significant (p>0.05) for high NaCl concentration. In the middle of treatment, low doses of zinc was added to 25 and 75 mM NaCl groups which significantly improved the germination percentage, development of leaf and root lengths and decreased the rate of proline increment. However, at high concentrations, zinc support has become strongly poisonous for whole plant.

Biography

GheraibiaHaifa is a PhD student at the Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Biology at Badji Mokhtar University of Annaba, Algeria. She studies the plant reponses to environmental stresses. Her work addresses many aspects of toxicology and biology, applied biotechnology and environmental technology.

Email: gheraibia_haifa@yahoo.fr