Effect of salt stress on the superoxide dismutase activity in leaves of Citrus limonum in different rootstock-scion combinations

Abstract

The effect of salinity on leaf superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of lemon trees of different rootstock-scion combinations was studied. In leaves from Citrus limonum cv. Verna scions on Citrus macrophylla and C. reticulata rootstocks, salinity treatment clearly caused a significant depression in both Fe-SOD and Mn-SOD activities and an increase in Cu,Zn-SOD activity. However, in leaves from Citrus limonum on Citrus aurantium rootstook, the reduction observed in the activity values of Fe-SODs and Mn-SODs was not statistically significant. Salt stress also produced a decrease in the content of soluble proteins and chlorophylls. However, this drop was greater in C. limonum leaves on C. macrophylla than for other combinations.