EFFECT OF CADMIUM AND SALINITY STRESSES ON ROOT MORPHOLOGY OF WHEAT

A hydroponics experiment was conducted in the University of Zhejiang Hangzhou, China to investigate the effect of salinity (NaCl) and cadmium (Cd) on root morphology of different wheat cultivars differing in salt tolerance. Cd and NaCl stress inhibited shoot and root dry weight, number of root tips (lateral roots), total root length, root average diameter and total root volume. Increasing concentration of Cd and NaCl had negatively affected root morphology of all cultivars under study. The combined effect of Cd and NaCl on these parameters was more than both Cd and NaCl alone. There was an obvious difference in response to both stresses among the three cultivars with Bakhtawar-92 being less affected.