ORGANIC-SUBSTANCES RESPONSIBLE FOR SALT TOLERANCE IN ERUCA-SATIVA

Responses of a salt tolerant and a normal population of an oilseed crop, Eruca sativa Mill. were assessed after four weeks growth in sand culture salinized with 0 (control), 100, 200, or 300 mol m-3 NaCl. The salt tolerant plants produced significantly greater dry biomass than the normal population. The populations did not differ significantly in leaf osmotic potential, relative water content and leaf soluble proteins. However, the tolerant population accumulated significantly greater amounts of soluble sugars, proline and free amino acids in the leaves compared with the non-tolerant population. It is established that leaf soluble sugars, proline, and free amino acids are important components of salt tolerance in Eruca sativa.