Sulfur-Use-Efficiency Evaluation in Brassica juncea Genotypes under Salinity Stress Rasheed Faisal1, Sehar Zebus1, Masood Asim1, Khan Nafees A.1,* 1Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh *Corresponding author email id: naf9.amu@gmail.com
Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the sulfur (S)-use-efficiency (SUE) in mustard (Brassica juncea L.) genotypes (Pusa Agrani, PM 25 Bj, PM 27 Bj, PM 28 Bj, Pusa Jagannath and Pusa Vijay) exposed to salinity (0, 50 and 100 mM NaCl). Biomarkers used for testing SUE were traits for photosynthesis, growth and oxidative stress and the levels of cystine and reduced glutathione (GSH), redox GSH/GSSG ratio and the activity of glutathione reductase (GR). Maximum significant reductions in photosynthetic traits such as photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 and Fv/Fm, and growth traits (plant dry mass and leaf area) were observed with 100 mM NaCl. The same salinity level significantly elevated oxidative stress traits in terms of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and H2O2 content. However, 100 mM NaCl-accrued decreases in photosynthetic, growth and oxidative traits were maximum in B. juncea genotype Pusa Agrani and the minimum in B. juncea, Pusa Vijay. In addition, B. juncea genotype Pusa Vijay and B. juncea genotype Pusa Agrani exhibited, respectively, the highest and the lowest SUE and the levels of cysteine, GSH and redox GSH/GSSG ratio and GR activity at both 50 and 100 mM NaCl. Top Keywords Salinity, Sulphur, Sulphur use efficiency, Oxidative stress, Mustard. Top |