Growth responses and aquaporin expression in grape genotypes under salinity. Nayer Mohammadkhani*, Reza Heidari, Nasser Abbaspour and Fatemeh Rahmani

Abstract

<span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">The effects of salinity on growth, leaf area and water relations of two grape genotypes (Gharashani and Shirazi) were studied under 2-week salinity (25, 50 and 100 mM NaCl). Growth and fresh weights of all plant parts were significantly (p<0.05) decreased by increasing salinity in both</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>genotypes. Shirazi showed a higher decrease in shoot and root lengths and fresh weights than Gharashani. It also had a higher decrease in water potential and relative water content and a lower increase in leaf area as compared with Gharashani. There was a significant positive correlation (p<0.05) between water potential and leaf area in two genotypes. </span><span>Under salinity stress the expression of aquaporin PIP2.2 decreased significantly (p<0.05) in roots and leaves of Gharashani, but it was higher in roots than in leaves. </span><span><span> </span>In roots and leaves of Shirazi the expression of this gene was partly increased. Considering growth factors and water relations, it seems that Shirazi is a sensitive genotype, but Gharashani can partly tolerate salinity.</span></span></span> <span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;"> </span></span>