Vol. 81 No: 4

Title:
Determination of anti-oxidant activities in some melon (Cucumis melo L.) varieties and cultivars under salt stress

Authors:
FIKRET YASAR, SEBNEM KUSVURAN and SEBNEM ELLIALTIOGLU

pp: 627-630

Abstract:
The response of the antioxidant system to salt stress was studied in leaves of seedlings of four Turkish melon (Cucumis melo L.) varieties ´Besni`,´Yuva`, ´Midyat` and ´Şemame` and three melon cultivars ´Ananas`, ´Galia C8` and ´Galia F1`. The anti-oxidant capability of plants was determined by measuring ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities together with levels of the anti-oxidant, ascorbic acid (AA). Salt treatment increased APX activities in stress-tolerant ´Galia C8` and ´Galia F1` and in moderately tolerant ´Besni`, ´Midyat` and ´Şemame`.These increases were greater in salt-tolerant cultivars. On the other hand, salt treatment did not cause a significant increase in APX activity in the salt-sensitive cvs. ´Yuva` and ´Ananas`. GR activity increased in all varieties and cultivars grown under saline conditions compared to control plants. Increases in GR activities were higher in salt-tolerant and moderately-tolerant varieties than in salt-sensitive ones. Likewise, AA contents increased with salt treatment in all varieties and cultivars except the salt-sensitive ´Ananas`. The data indicate that melon seedlings respond to saltinduced oxidative stress by increasing both their enzymatic and non-enzymatic anti-oxidant defense systems. These increases were most clear in the salt-tolerant cultivars.

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