Salinity induced structural changes in meristematic cells of barley roots

Abstract

Structural changes occurring in meristematic cells of barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. California Mariout) in response to moderate salinity treatment were studied. In the apical region of the root, salt caused an increase in vacuolation which may provide a means for accumulation of excess ions. Salt treatment also caused many plastids in the cortical cells in this region to adopt varying amoeboid shapes, often appearing to enclose part of the cytoplasm which was less dense than the surrounding cytoplasm. This suggested that plastid morphology may allow or alternatively result from adaptive changes in protein synthesis or cvtoplasmic composition. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved