Mineral uptake and biochemical changes in Helianthus annuus under treatment with different sodium salts

Experiments were conducted to study the effects of different sodium salts viz., sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium sulphate (Na₂SO₄) and sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) on growth, dry matter production, mineral contents, biochemical constituent and enzyme activities of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). The germinating sunflower seeds were treated with 10, 20 and 50 mM NaCl and Na₂SO₄ and 5, 10 and 15 mM Na₂CO₃. The seedling growth, minerals, chlorophyll content and biochemicals like protein and free amino acid contents with enzyme activities like ATPase and protease were analysed on 8 DAS. The seedlings were separated into root, stem, leaf and cotyledon on 8 DAS. All the treatments decreased the germination percentage; shoot length, root length, leaf area and dry weight, chlorophyll and protein contents significantly. Potassium, sodium and free amino acid contents; activities of ATPase and protease were increased when compared to control. This effect was very high in the Na₂CO₃ treated seedlings this was followed by Na₂SO₄ and NaCl treated seedlings. From the results of this investigation, it is clear that, the sunflower seedlings were affected significantly in the Na₂CO₃ treatments, and followed by Na₂SO₄ and NaCl treatments.