Effect of phytohormone pretreatment on nitrogen metabolism in Vigna radiata under salt stress

Application of NaCl (electrical conductivity 4.0 mS cm(-1)) resulted in about 52, 50 and 55 % reduction in total nitrogen contents in mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] leaf, root and nodule, respectively. In nodule, nitrogenase activity was reduced by about 84 % under stress as compared with the control set. Glutamine synthetase activity was reduced by about 31, 16 and 23 %, glutamate oxoglutarate aminotransferase activity was reduced by 78, 57 and 42 % and glutamate dehydrogenase activity was reduced by 9, 8 and 42 % in leaf, root and nodule, respectively, under salt stress. The pretreatment with indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid and kinetin, each ranging from 0.1 to 10 muM, in restoring the metabolic alterations imposed by NaCl salinity was investigated in mung bean. The three phytohormones used were able to overcome to variable extents the adverse effects of stress imposed by NaCl solution.