Growth and Histological Characteristics of Barley (Hordium vulgare L.) Seedling to NaCl Stress

This study was conducted to determine the morphological responses of barley seedlings to NaCl stress and to investigate histological changes of cells with transmission electron microscope(TEM) after NaCl stress. Plant height and root length of 10-day old barley seedlings with NaCl stress were reduced and inhibition level was found to be more severe in the plant height than in the root length. The leaf length, leaf width and leaf area were shorter as well with NaCl stress than without NaCl stress. However, there was no difference in the number of roots between NaCl treatments. The weight of dry matter decreased at higher NaCl concentrations, especially at 100mM NaCl. The water content of shoots tend to decrease at higher NaCl concentrations, but there was no difference in the water content of roots, The reduced sugar content was greatly increase than starch. Cellulose content was higher in NaCl stressed-plant than control, and tended to decreased at higher NaCl concentrations. Lignin content also decreased NaCl stressed-plant but there was no tendency at NaCl stress concentrations. Electric conductivity of cell sap with seedlings was high with NaCl stressed-plant. Amount of cell sap gradually increased with time in the roots than in the shoots, The grana of chloroplasts was changed by 150mM NaCl concentration. The christe of mitochondria in root meristematic sells ruined in structure and cell wall of leaf and root was also ruined by NaCl stress.