Effect of gamma irradiation on increasing salinity tolerance of micropropagated banana plants [electronic resource].

Includes references.

This investigation was carried out on micropropagated plants of banana cv, Williams, to study the effect of sea salt (0, 2000, 4000, 6000 and 8000 ppm), and gamma irradiation (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 Gy) either alone or in combinations on increasing salinity tolerance, Data were calculated in vitro as well as under greenhouse conditions. The obtained results indicated that the gradual increase in sea salt levels was negatively correlated with all growth parameters (survival percentage, shoots and pseudostcm height, leaf and root numbers as well as shoot fresh and dry weights), anatomical parameters of leaf (leaf blade and midrib thickness, number and diameter of air cavities, number of midrib vascular bundles), and root (root and vascular cylinder diameter, cortex width and number of vessels) and photosynthetic pigments, Moreover, sea salt application was positively correlated with total free amino acids, proline, total soluble phenols, sugars(reducing and non-reducing) as well as Na and Cl concentrations, meanwhile, N, P, K, Ca and Mg concentrations as well as KINa ratio decreased under salt stress conditions and all plants were dead when sea salt was applied at 8000 ppm, Exposure to gamma irradiation (10 and 20 Gy) either alone or combined with sea sait application had stimulative effects on growth characters, anatomical parameters, organic components as well as minerals. Meanwhile, higher doses (30 and 40 Gy) adversely affected a!! the tested parameters. Photosynthetic pigments, however, were negatively correlated with all doses under study and the (LD₅₀) was observed beyond 50 Gy.

Summary in Arabic.

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