View article

Several halophytes – plants which complete their life cycle in saline environment – have considerable economic potential as oil source, fodder, wood, ornamental, and medicinal plants. They may also serve as model plants to get insight in the mechanisms of salt resistance and with the future aim to develop halophytic crops. Panicum turgidum is, a C₄ perennial halophytic grass, widely distributed in saline and arid areas of Pakistan with a considerable potential as a fodder crop because of its high palatability and nutritional values. The aim of this work was to determine growth, physiological and biochemical responses of P. turgidum by subjecting plants to varying concentrations of NaCl (0, 125, 250, 375 and 500mM) and to relate these data to photosynthetic parameters. When grown at low salinity (125mM NaCl) fresh and dry biomass (shoot and root) were similar to non-saline control. Photosynthetic parameters …