Journal of Stress Physiology & Biochemistry, Vol. 7 No. 1 2011, pp. 27-37 ISSN 1997-0838 Original Text Copyright © 2011 by Fercha, Gherroucha, Baka ORIGINAL ARTICLE IMPROVEMENT OF SALT TOLERANCE IN DURUM WHEAT BY ASCORBIC ACID APPLICATION Fercha Azzedine 1,2,* . Hocine Gherroucha 2 and Mebarek Baka 2 1 Department of biology, University of Abbès Laghrour Khenchela, Algeria 2 Laboratory of plant physiology, University of Mentouri Constantine, Algeria. * Phone: +213-772977498 * E-mail- Ferchazzed@yahoo.fr Received January 7, 2011 The main objective of this study is to examine whether exogenously applied Ascorbic acid (AsA) may enhance the salt tolerance in durum wheat ( Triticum durum Desf. var. Waha). Two weeks old seedling, grown in plastic pots of 1kg, were subjected to salt stress by adding 25ml of NaCl (150mm), and treated or not with the addition of ascorbic acid (0.7 mM). Two weeks after salt stress, plants were harvested and the various measures were recorded. The effects of salt stress, in the presence and absence of vitamin C, on the leaf growth, leaf area (LA) and some physiological and biochemical changes were investigated. It was established that the application of vitamin C mitigate to variable extent the adverse effect of salt stress on plant growth, may be due, in part, to increased leaf area, improved chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, enhanced proline accumulation and decreased H 2 O 2 content. In conclusion, we can say that treatment with ascorbic acid improve salt tolerance in durum wheat through the enhancement of multiple processes. Key words: Ascorbic Acid; Biochemical changes; Hydrogen peroxide; Salt tolerance; Triticum durum JOURNAL OF STRESS PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY Vol. 7 No. 1 2011