Effect of H2O2 pretreatment on salt tolerance of wheat seedlings

The improvement of salt tolerance is of great importance to enhance wheat (Triticum aestivum) adaptability to saline and alkalized soils in the practice of wheat cultivation. Under NaCl and H2O2 treatments, the plant height of wheat and related physiological parameters were measured to elucidate the effect of H2O2 pretreatment on salt tolerance of wheat seedlings. Leaf malondialdehyde (MDA) content, relative electrical conductivity (REC), water soluble sugar (WSS) content, proline content and peroxidase (POD) activity increased with 1.2% NaCl treatment. However, under H2O2 + 1.2% NaCl treatment, there was less increment in MDA and REC contents, more increment in WSS content and POD activity, and less decrease in plant height of wheat seedlings compared to those under 1.2% NaCl treatment. It suggested that H2O2 pretreatment could, to some extent, improve salt tolerance of wheat seedlings, but there was difference in the response to such treatments between two wheat cultivars.