Salt Stress Mitigation by Seed Priming with Salicylic Acid in Two Faba Bean Genotypes Differing in Salt Tolerance

The differential responses of two faba bean (Vicia faba L.) local Egyptian genotypes to salinity (0 or 140 mM NaCl) and seed priming with 0.2 mM salicylic acid (SA) were studied. Salinity caused no significant changes in dry weight and tissue water content of genotype 115, whereas they were significantly reduced in genotype 125. Genotype 115 exhibited higher accumulation of osmotic solutes, carotenoids and antioxidant enzymes activity (CAT, POD, APX & GR) than genotype 125. In contrast, ion leakage and lipid peroxidation were lower in genotype 115 than in genotype 125. Salinity induced high selectivity of K+/Na+ ratio in genotype 115 than genotype 125 and in shoot than in root for both genotypes. Application of SA not only mitigated the inhibitory effect of salt stress in both genotypes, but also in some cases induced a stimulatory effect greater than that estimated in the control plants. The results indicated that both faba bean genotypes can develop different mechanisms of adaptation to salt stress. The beneficial effect of SA could be used for improving their salt tolerance.