The effect of NaCl priming on salt tolerance in melon seedlings

Abstract

Melon seeds (cvs. Hasanbey and Kirkagac) primed with 1.0% NaCl were sown in peat medium and irrigated with various NaCl concentrations (0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0%) for 4 weeks to examine their response to salinity. Physical analyses such as total emergence and dry weight were carried out. For each melon cultivar, tolerance ratio and tolerance index were determined on the basis of dry weight. Moreover, physiological changes such as total sugar and proline were also determined to clearly show the response of melon seedlings during salinity stress. It was concluded that priming of melon seeds with NaCl resulted in increased salt tolerance in seedlings of both melon cultivars. Consequently, cv. Kirkagac was more tolerant to salinity than cv. Hasanbey.