Abstract This study evaluate growth, gas exchange, solute accumulation and activity of antioxidant enzymes in dwarf cashew clones subjected to salinity. Shoot dry mass reduced 26.8% (CCP06) and 41.2% (BRS189) at 16 dS m-1, concerning control. For net photosynthesis, CCP06 and BRS189 presented 69.8% and 34.7% of reduction, respectively. Na+ and Cl- contents increased in leaves and roots, in both clones, although CCP06 leaves presented Na+ concentrations lower than those of BRS189, the first one was the clone that the most accumulated such toxic ion, whereas K+ content remained almost unchanged for both clones. Soluble N-amino was the organic solute that more varied with salinity in cashew seedlings. Salt stress increased the activity of superoxide dismutase in both clones, mainly 16 dS m-1 treatment. Additionally, salinity promoted increases in ascorbate and guaiacol peroxidase activities, and the last enzyme was the main involved in H2O2 removal. Despite the reductions in growth and gas exchange, dwarf cashew seedlings of both clones presented an osmotic adjustment mechanism, and an efficient enzymatic antioxidant system that were able to attenuate the salt and oxidative stress, respectively. Our research suggested that BRS189 clone is more tolerant to salt stress than CCP06.

RESUMO A utilização de plantas tolerantes ao estresse salino é necessária para remediar o problema da salinidade e/ou sodicidade em regiões semiáridas. Deste modo, o coqueiro anão (Cocos nucifera L.) vem se destacando como uma cultura tolerante ao estresse salino, porém pouco se sabe sobre os mecanismos que contribuem para a tolerância dessa espécie. Neste contexto, objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar as respostas fisiológicas e iônicas de mudas de coqueiro anão em função do estresse salino. Os tratamentos compreenderam cinco níveis de salinidade da água de irrigação - CEa: 0,9 (tratamento controle); 5,2; 10,1; 15,3 e 19,3 dS m-1 em delineamento inteiramente ao acaso com quatro repetições. Os elevados teores de solutos orgânicos (carboidratos e N-aminossolúveis) e a retenção de Na+ nas raízes, o que favoreceu a manutenção de baixos valores da relação Na+/K+ nas folhas, indicam que o sistema radicular desempenha papel importante no mecanismo de tolerância das mudas de coqueiro à salinidade. O uso de água salobra com CEa de 5,2 dS m-1 permite a produção de mudas, sem perda de qualidade na fase de viveiro. As mudas foram classificadas como moderadamente tolerantes à salinidade de 10,1 dS m-1 baseado na massa seca total da planta.

ABSTRACT Salt-tolerant plants are important to cope with salinity and/or sodicity problems in semiarid regions. The dwarf coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L.) has emerged as a salt-tolerant crop once established. However, little is known about the mechanisms that contribute to the survival of coconut seedlings under salinity stress. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of saline water on morpho-physiological and biochemical responses of dwarf coconut seedlings. Treatments were composed of five levels of water salinity, expressed by its electrical conductivity (ECw), as follows: 0.9 (control); 5.2; 10.1; 15.3 and 19.3 dS m-1 in a completely randomized design with four replications. The high levels of organic solutes (carbohydrates and soluble amino-N) and Na+ in roots, that contribute to the low values of Na+/K+ ratio in the leaves, suggest that roots play an important role in the mechanism of salt tolerance of coconut seedlings. The use of brackish water with ECw of 5.2 dS m-1 allows seedling production, with no loss of quality. Based on total dry matter accumulation, seedlings were classified as moderately tolerant to the salinity of 10.1 dS m-1.

RESUMO Objetivou-se, com este trabalho, investigar os mecanismos bioquímicos associados às ações isoladas e/ou simultâneas do déficit hídrico e da salinidade do solo, em plantas jovens de coqueiro através da mensuração do acúmulo de solutos orgânicos (carboidratos solúveis, N - aminossolúveis e prolina livre) em folhas e em raízes. No experimento conduzido em casa de vegetação, em Fortaleza, CE, avaliaram-se, sob delineamento estatístico de blocos casualizados, no arranjo de parcelas subdivididas, os efeitos de diferentes níveis de deficiência hídrica (parcelas) mediante a imposição de distintos percentuais de reposição das perdas de água por evapotranspiração potencial da cultura - ETpc (20; 40; 60; 80 e 100%), associados às subparcelas, constituídas pelos níveis de salinidade do solo no extrato de saturação (1,72; 6,25; 25,80 e 40,70 dS m-1), proporcionados pelos solos coletados no Perímetro Irrigado Morada Nova. A salinidade não alterou os teores dos solutos orgânicos; todavia, verificaram-se incrementos nos teores foliares e radiculares de prolina livre em resposta à deficiência hídrica. Este fato corrobora com uma possível contribuição à osmorregulação e/ou osmosproteção da espécie em condições adversas de suprimento hídrico.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate the biochemical mechanisms associated with isolated and/or concurrent actions of drought and soil salinity in seedlings of coconut tree, through the accumulation of organic solutes (soluble carbohydrates, soluble amino N and free proline) in leaves and roots. The experiment, conducted in a protected environment, in Fortaleza, Brazil, in a randomized block design, in a split-plot arrangement, evaluated the effects of different levels of water stress (plots) by imposing distinct percentages of replacement of water losses through crop potential evapotranspiration - ETpc (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%), associated with subplots consisting of increasing levels of soil salinity in saturation extract (1.72, 6.25, 25.80 and 40.70 dS m-1) provided by the soils collected in the Irrigated Perimeter of Morada Nova. Salinity did not change the concentration of organic solutes; however, there were increases in leaf and root levels of free proline in response to water stress, which contributes to the osmoregulation and/or osmoprotection of the species under adverse conditions of water supply.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of H2O2 on germination and acclimation of maize plants subject to salt stress. Three experiments using BRS3003 seeds, a triple hybrid of maize, were carried out in a growth room and in greenhouse. In the first experiment, H2O2 accelerated the germination percentage of seeds at 100 mM, but not at 500 mM. In the second experiment, the pretreatment of seeds was observed to induce a pronounced increase in ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activity after 30 h of soaking in H2O2. It was also observed that guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activity was smaller in the seeds soaked in H2O2 for 12, 24, 30, 36 and 42 h, in relation to those soaked in distilled water. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was not affected by the pretreatment of seeds, except for the 24 h treatment. Only one CAT isoform was detected. In the third experiment, seeds were pretreated with 36 h soaking in 100 mM H2O2 solution or in distilled water and later cultivated in Hoagland's nutrient solution or nutrient solution with 80 mM NaCl. The results showed the pretreatment of seeds with H2O2 induced acclimation of the plants to salinity. It decreased the deleterious effects of salt stress on the growth of maize. In addition, the differences in antioxidative enzyme activities may explain the increased tolerance to salt stress of plants originated from H2O2 pretreated seeds.