Abstract:

Salt stress is one of the most important problems that negatively affects crop productivity. Particularly in arid and semi-arid areas of the world. Recently, agriculture has seen some development through the use of natural biostimulants capable of improving the tolerance of plants to salt stress. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of exudates from the cut and crushed roots of common glasswort (Salicornia europaea L.) in improving the physiological, biochemical and morphological response of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) subjected to salt stress by the application of two concentrations of NaCl, 150 et 250 meq/l. Results showed that salinity significantly reduced the relative water content (RWC), root volume (RV), root dry matter (RDM) and aerial dry matter (ADM). On the other hand, the soluble sugar content of stressed S. melongena leaves is significantly increased. However, the addition of exudates from the roots of S. europaea has caused an increase in RWC and an improvement in the accumulation of soluble sugars in the leaves, and has also greatly contributed to reducing the damaging effects of salinity on RV and RDM and allowed a slight increase in the ADM of plants subjected to salinity, essentially the 250 meq concentration of NaCl.

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