124 American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences (ASRJETS) ISSN (Print) 2313-4410, ISSN (Online) 2313-4402 © Global Society of Scientific Research and Researchers http://asrjetsjournal.org/ Effects of Salinity on Growth of Tomato Effendi GulRukh a , Aisha Saleem Khan b* a Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore b School of Life Sciences, Forman Christian College, Lahore, Pakistan a Email: gull_rukh3@hotmail.com b Email: aishasaleemkhan@fccollege.edu.pk Abstract This research work reports effects of salinity on external and internal morphology of tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum. M.) Plants under salt stress conditions showed inhibition in root, shoot and leaf growth. Fresh and dry weight of roots and shoot was also reduced in plants treated with higher concentrations of NaCl. Leaves also showed yellowing and stunted growth which was further evaluated by estimating the chlorophyll content which was significantly reduced under higher concentrations of NaCl. Enzymatic activity like acid phosphatase and peroxidases was also altered in plants treated with higher concentration of salt, suggesting the sensitivity of tomato plants against saline conditions. Keywords: Chlorophyll content; Morphology; Peroxidase; Salinity; Tomato. 1. Introduction Inhibition of plants growth due to salinity is reported in many plants which have developed different mechanisms to cope with these effects. In many plants, effects of salinity are more pronounced at higher concentrations [1,2,3] showing overall reduction in plants growth including root and shoot growth, leaf area [4], reduction in chlorophyll content, delayed flowering, and altered enzymatic activities [5, 6]. Along with chlorophyll 'a' and 'b', carotene and xanthophyll contents are also affected in many plants under saline conditions [7]. Salinity can also cause changes in anatomical characteristics of many plants leaves [8, 9]. Salt stress in many plants is also responsible for cellular accumulation of damaging active oxygen species which may further cause proteins, membrane lipids and nucleic acids [10,11]. Saline conditions also cause change in lipid metabolism and lipid peroxidation which can cause deterioration in membrane [12]. Accumulation of proline in response to salt accumulation is also reported in some plants [13,14]. Reduction in chlorophyll contents reduces the rate of photosynthesis in many plants as stomatal size and rate of transpiration is also affected under salt stress [15]. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ * Corresponding author. brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences...