Aims: This research aims at evaluating the effect of salt stress on plant growth, Na+, K+, proline and soluble sugars contents in leaves and roots of local cultivar of African basil in Republic of Benin. Study Design: The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) having five treatments and three replications. Place and duration of Study: The experiment was carried out in screening house under natural conditions at the Center of Agricultural Research of Agonkanmey, Commune of Abomey-Calavi, Republic of Benin from January to February, 2020. Methodology: Five salt concentrations (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 mM) were used to irrigate three weeks old plants for two weeks. After two weeks, plant growth, sodium (Na) and potassium (K), proline, and soluble sugars contents of leaves and roots were determined. Results: Salt stress induced a significant reduction (p = .05) in shoot growth from 60 mM NaCl but had no impact on the number of leaves and shoot water content. Root growth was significantly reduced (p = .05) already at 30 mM NaCl. Leaf and roots Na+, proline and soluble sugars contents significantly increased (p = .05) under salt stress whereas K+ content decreased significantly (p = .05) only in root. Conclusion: Salt stress reduces the growth of African basil plants due mainly to Na+ ion toxicity. The ionic selectivity ratio (K+/Na+) rather than the K+ ion content plays an important role in the response of basil plants to salt stress, while both proline and soluble sugars accumulation may contribute to osmotic adjustment.

The response of three tossa jute cultivars Ordinaire, 5-Doigts and Acc : Sud 2 to salt stress was evaluated at germination and young plant stages. Five NaCl concentrations: 0; 30; 60; 90 and 120 mM NaCl were used. Seeds were submitted to NaCl in petri dishes and germination was checked every day during thirty days in a completely randomized design with four replicates. Four-week old plants were submitted in pots to the same five NaCl concentrations by irrigation every two days for two weeks in screen house. NaCl reduced seed germination rate in all cultivars from day 2 to day 30 and the germination index. At the end of the 30 days, salt stress reduced the final germination percentages with a significant difference among cultivars: cultivar 5-doigts was the least affected than the two other cultivars. Salt effect caused a reduction of young plant growth whatever the growth parameter considered with a significant difference among cultivars. The growth of cultivar Acc:Sud 2 was more affected by salt stress with the lowest salt tolerance index whereas that of cultivar Ordinaire was the least affected with the highest salt tolerance index. Thus, cultivar 5-Doigts appeared as the most resistant to salt stress at germination stage among the three cultivars; whereas cultivar Ordinaire followed by 5-Doigts was the most salt resistant at young plant stage.