Effect of Cd & SA Acid on Growth & Physiological Aspects of Wheat

INTERACTIVE EFFECT OF CADMIUM AND SALICYLIC ACID ON GROWTH AND SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES OF WHEAT: A pot experiment was conducted to assess the interactive effect of cadmium and Salicylic acid on growth and physiological attributes some mineral nutrients of two wheat genotypes. Healthy Seeds of two wheat genotypes (Sehar and S-24) were obtained from the Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Two wheat genotypes were grown under normal and cadmium stressed conditions. There were be three levels (0, 100, 200 µM) of cadmium and single level (0.5 mM) of salicylic acid. Salicylic acid was applied through rooting application to reduce the toxic effect of stressful condition. Twelve days after the germination of the crop, 1st treatment of cadmium and salicylic acid (separately and in combination) were applied to plants with half strength Hoagland's nutrient medium, whereas control plants were treated with half strength Hoagland's nutrient medium only. Application of cadmium caused a significant reduction in all growth parameters (shoot and root length, shoot and root fresh and dry weights, number of leaves and total leaf area).