Study on Optimal Salt Concentration for Evaluation of Salt Tolerance of Maize at Seedling Stage

In order to investigate the optimal NaCl concentration for evaluating the salt tolerance of maize at seedling stage, 4 typical inbred combinations of maize(Zea mays L.) were treated with different concentrations of NaCl. Germination, root and seedling characters of maize at seedling stage were analyzed. The results show that germination power, seed vitality, seedling height, seedling weight, root length and root fresh weight all decreased with the increase of NaCl concentrations, and salt tolerance of every physiological character showed differences in same varieties. When the treatment concentration of NaCl reached 8‰, the differences of each testing indexes between the treated and the control were significant or highly significant. Optimal salt concentration for identifying the salt tolerance of maize at seedling stage was relatively constant 8‰ NaCl concentration.