Effects of NaCl on Growth, Nitrogen Incorporation and Chemical Composition of Inoculated and NH4NO3FertilizedVicia faba(L. ) Plants

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Abstract
Vicia faba cv. Maris Bead was grown either on fixed nitrogen or on ammonium nitrate. After 4 weeks growth, nutrient solutions were supplemented with 50, 75 and 100 mol m−3 NaCl for 15 d. Five harvests were made at weekly intervals, beginning at 4 weeks. Effects of salinity were directly related to dose, plant growth (fresh and dry weight) being depressed in both N-fixing and N-fertilized plants. The number of nodules per plant and the proportion of those formed which developed into the active nitrogen fixing state were depressed by salt stress. Increased size of nodules in salt-stressed plants only partly compensated for the lower specific nitrogenase activity. The effects of salinity on plant nitrogen content were more pronounced on N-flxing than on N-fertilized plants. The former took up more Na+ and Cl− than the latter: the implications of this and of ionic imbalance are discussed.