Effect of NaCl salinity on growth, modulation and total nitrogen content in Sesbania sesban.

Summary A pot experiment was conducted to determine the eff ect of salinity on growth nodulation and nitrogen content of Sesbania sesban. Fift een days old S. sesban seedlings grown in sandy loam soil were irrigated with NaCl solution of 0.034 mol/L, 0.069 mol/L, 0.103 mol/L, 0.137 mol/L and 0.172 mol/L. Th e plants were harvested aft er 80 days. Fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots and root- shoot ratio decreased progressively with the increasing salinity levels. Root showed more inhibition than shoot. Nodules were observed on the roots of plants growing in all fi ve salinity levels but they showed morphological alterations in size and shape. Th e number and size of the nodules per plant and their fresh and dry weight decreased with increasing salinity levels. Th e percentage of tissue nitrogen also decreased progressively with the increasing salinity levels.