EFFECT OF PRE-SOWING SEED TREATMENT IN PHYTO-MELIORATION OF SALT-AFFECTED SOILS.

A field experiment was carried out at Tag Al EZZ Agricultural Research Station, ARC, Egypt (31°36'N/30°57'E) in two seasons of 2014-2015. This work aimed at assessing the effect of cultivating seeds treated with aerated solution of Salicylic Acid (SA) 1.00, 1.50, 2.00, 2.50 and 3.00 mM of 3 plants: kenaf (Hibiscus canabienus), sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and canola (Brassica napus) in phyto-remediating (bioreclamination) of a saline soil. Growth of plants (its seeds were presowing treated with salicylic acid) was higher than that of plants its seeds were not treated with the acid. The treatment induced tolerance to salt stress leading to promoting protective reactions to the photosynthetic pigments, maintained the membranes integrity and osmotic adjustment This increased growth led to removal of greater amounts of salts from the soil. Salinity as well as sodicity of the soil where treated plants were grown was lower than in soils where non-treated plants were grown. The 3.00 mM treatment was the most effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]