Difference in Na+, K+ accumulation in the salt-tolerant mutant and the wild type of wheat during exposure to NaCl stress

The difference in Na+,K+ accumulation between the mutant and the wild type of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has been investigated. The authors report here that the mutant accumulated less Na+ in the root and leaf than the wild type in response to NaCl stress. This difference in Na+ accumulation in leaf was more significant than that in the root. The mutant kept a lower net accumulation rate of Na+ than that in the wild type during the stress. K+ content in the leaves and roots of both species reduced severely when exposed to NaCl, but the contents in the leaf and root of the mutant was higher than those of the wild type. The Na+ distribution in the seedlings of the mutant and the wild type was significantly different. When exposed to salt stress for 96 h, the quantity of the accumulated Na+ in root was 44.3% of the total Na+ per seedling of the mutant, whereas it was 24.3% in the wild type, which was likely resulted from the reduction of Na+ transfer from roots to shoots in the mutant.