Fertilization with nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) can improve plant growth in saline soils. This study was undertaken to determine wheat (Triticum aestivum L; cv Krichauff) response to the combined application of N and P fertilizers in the sandy loam under saline conditions. Salinity was induced using sodium (Na þ) and calcium (Ca 2þ) salts to achieve four levels of electrical conductivity in the extract of the saturated soil paste (EC e), 2.2, 6.7, 9.2 and 11.8 dS m À1 , while maintaining a low sodium adsorption ratio (SAR; 1). Nitrogen was applied as Ca(NO 3) 2 Á 4H 2 O at 50 (N50), 100 (N100) and 200 (N200) mg N kg À1 soil. Phosphorus was applied at 0 (P0), 30 (P30) and 60 (P60) mg kg À1 soil in the form of KH 2 PO 4. Results showed that increasing soil salinity had no effect on shoot N or P concentrations, but increased shoot Na þ and chlorine ion (Cl À) concentrations and reduced dry weights of shoot and root in all treatments of N and P. At each salinity and P level, increasing application of N reduced dry weight of shoot. At each salinity and N level P fertilization increased dry weights of shoot and root and shoot P concentration. Addition of greater than N50 contributed to the soil salinity limiting plant growth, but increasing P addition up to 60 mg P kg À1 soil reduced Cl À absorption and enhanced the plant salt tolerance and thus plant growth. The positive effect of the combined addition of N and P on wheat growth in the saline sandy loam is noticeable, but only to a certain level of soil salinity beyond which salinity effect is dominant.
