SummaryFor two Glycine species (wightiit and tomentella) varying in sensitivity to salt the development of stress over a range of salinities was traced through changes in growth, water content, and chemical composition of tissues of different type and age.The general picture of salt stress appears to be one of immediate growth reduction through an initial water stress approximately proportional to the concentration of salt applied. At 40 m-equiv/l of sodium chloride osmotic adjustment apparently occurs, control growth rate is regained, and, the data suggest, is likely to be maintained without significant tissue injury developing. At 80 m-equiv/l of sodium chloride, the trends in tissue water content indicate that some osmotic adjustment may occur, particularly in the older leaves, but at this level of salinity and especially at 160 m-equiv/l of sodium chloride the rapid and excessive chloride accumulation injures the leaves and growth rate falls progressively in relation to that of the control. The detrimental effects of salt on nutrient and water content are more pronounced in the young leaf tissue developing during salt treatment than for the older leaves.Species difference in sensitivity appears associated with the leaf injury phase of salt stress. It is thought that leaf injury is greater in tomentella than wightii because of the faster initial increase in chloride concentration in tomentella, particularly in the younger leaf tissue, and also that a reduced potential for protein synthesis in these leaves in tomentella may have aggravated the situation.Analysis of time trends in growth rate and other plant attributes, a technique largely ignored in salt resistance studies, helps to distinguish between the osmotic and toxic effects of ions.