The present work has been performed to study the growth and metabolic activities of two maize cultivars (cv. 323 and cv. 324) which are shown to have different tolerances to salt stress and to determine the effects of inoculation with Azospirillum spp. Along with identifying the mechanisms of maize salt tolerance and the role of Azospirillum (growth promoting rhizobacteria) in elevating salinity stress conditions is examined Maize cv. 323 was the most sensitive to salinity, while cultivar 324 was the most resistant of the 12 maize cultivars tested. Cultivars differences were apparent with certain growth criteria as well as related metabolic activities. The lack of a negative response to increasing NaCl concentration for water content, dry matter yield and leaf area of cv. 324 up to a concentration of À0.6 MPa indicated salt tolerance. While for cv. 323 there was a marked inhibitory effect of salinity on growth. In the tolerant cv. 324, soluble and total saccharides, soluble protein in shoots and total protein in roots increased with salinity stress. The sensitivity of cv. 323 however was associated with depletion in saccharides and proteins. Proline accumulation was higher and detected earlier at a lower salinity concentration in the salt sensitive cv. 323 comapred to the salt tolerant cv. 324. When salt stressed maize was inoculated with Azospirillum, proline concentration declined significantly. The present study showed, in general, that the concentration of most amino acid increased on exposure to NaCl as well as when inoculated with Azospirillum. The relatively high salt tolerance of cv. 324, compared with cv. 323 was associated with a significantly high K + /Na + ratio. Azospirillum inoculation markedly altered the selectivity of Na + , K + and Ca ++ especially in the salt sensitive cultivar cv. 323. Azospirillum restricted Na + uptake and enhanced the uptake of K + and Ca ++ in cv. 323. A sharp reduction in the activity of nitrate reductase and nitrogenase in shoots and roots of both cultivars was induced by salinity stress. This reduction in NR and NA activity was highly significant at all salinity concentrations. Azospirillum inoculation stimulated NR and nitrogenase activity in both shoots and roots of both cultivars. The differential effect of Azospirillum inoculation on maize cv. 323 and cv. 324 illustrates the different sensitivity of these two cultivars to stress, but still does not provide any clues as to the key events leading to this difference.

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The salt tolerance of three sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) cultivars (Dorado, Hagen Shandawil and Giza 113) and their responses to shoot spraying with 25 ppm IAA were studied. Salinity stress induced substantial differences between the three sorghum cultivars in the leaf area, dry mass, relative water content and tolerance index of the leaves. Dorado and Hagen Shandawil tolerated salinity up to 88 and 44 mM NaCl, respectively, but above this level, and at all salinity levels in Giza 113, a significant reduction in these parameters was recorded. The rate of reduction was lower in Dorado than in Hagen Shandawil and Giza 113, allowing the sequence Dorado ? Hagen Shandawil ? Giza 113 to be established for the tolerance of these cultivars to salinity. The differences in the tolerance of the sorghum cultivars were associated with large differences in K+ rather than in Na+, which was found to be similar in the whole plant. The youngest leaf was able to maintain a higher K+ content than the oldest leaf. Consequently the K+/Na+ ratios were higher in the most salt-tolerant cultivar Dorado than in the other sorghum cultivars, and in the youngest than in the oldest leaf. In conformity with this mechanism, the stimulatory effect of the exogenous application of IAA was mostly associated with a higher K+/Na+ ratio. Shoot spraying with IAA partially alleviated the inhibitory effect of salinity on leaf growth and on the K+ and Ca2+ contents, especially at low and moderate levels of salinity, while it markedly retarded the accumulation of Na+ in the different organs of sorghum cultivars. Abbreviations: LA: Leaf area, DM: Dry mass, I Indole acetic acid, RWC: Relative water content,TI: Tolerance index

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