Physiological and biochemical responses of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) to NaCI stress

Salt stress is one of the abiotic stresses regarding agriculture systems due to its harmful effects on crop productivity. An investigation was performed to assess the effects of NaCl (50, 100, 150 and 200 mM) on Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa). The different concentrations of NaCl affected physiological and biochemical indicators such as relative water content, cell membrane stability, ion accumulation, chlorophyll content and gas exchange parameters. The highest concentrations of NaCl repressed the growth of plants as the fresh and dry biomass of shoots and roots were significantly decreased. Total chlorophyll contents were also decreased with the increased concentration of salt. Photosynthesis was highly affected due to accumulation of Na+ which changed the overall Na+/K+ ratio. Furthermore, proline content was found to be increased in salt- stressed plants. Findings of this study would lead to identify salt-responsive gene functions and to alleviate the harmful effects of salt on plants.