Multiple stress and growth of barley: Effect of salinity and temperature shock

The effect of preconditioning to NaCl salinity (0 to 135 mmol L-1) on the subsequent response of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) to two days of low (5°C) temperature shock (LTS) was investigated. Both salinity and LTS reduced the final growth of barley tops and roots. The effect of LTS on growth of tops and roots depended on the level of salinity stress imposed. At salinity level of 45 mmol L-1, for example, exposing the plants to LTS reduced top growth by an additional 34%; at 135 mmol L-1 salinity, however, LTS reduced the top growth by only 2%. Salinity increased the concentration of Na, Cl, total P, PO4, and Zn, reduced the concentration of K, Ca, total N, NO3, and SO4, but did not affect the concentration of total S in the barley tops. LTS increased the concentration of Ca and Zn in the tops; the concentrations of other elements (cations and anions) were not changed by the temperature treatment. In the tops of the control plants, NO3, PO4, and SO4 accounted for 15%, 72% and 93% of the total N, P, and S, respectively. In the plants grown at 135 mmol L-1 NaCl, however, the above values were 8%, 84%, and 70%, respectively, which indicates that salinity had altered the incorporation of N, P, and S into organic compounds. We suggest that salinity and low temperature affect growth and nutrient uptake and incorporation into organic matter by different mechanisms. Although barley subjected to low salinity becomes more sensitive to subsequent low temperature stress, preconditioning of barley to higher salinity stress seems to reduce the plant's sensitivity to subsequent low temperature.