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Our study aimed at investigating the influence of elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration on the salinity tolerance of the cash crop halophyte Aster tripolium L., thereby focussing on protein expression and enzyme activities. The plants were grown in hydroponics using a nutrient solution with or without addition of NaCl (75% seawater salinity), under ambient (380 ppm) and elevated (520 ppm) CO₂. Under ambient CO₂ concentration enhanced expressions and activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione-S-transferase in the salt-treatments were recorded as a reaction to oxidative stress. Elevated CO₂ led to significantly higher enzyme expressions and activities in the salt-treatments, so that reactive oxygen species could be detoxified more effectively. Furthermore, the expression of a protective heat shock protein (class 20) increased under salinity and …