TURKISH JOURNAL OF FIELD CROPS, vol.14, no.2, pp.162-169, 2009 (SCI-Expanded)
A total of twelve barley genotypes, of which mutants (M-K 23, M-K 24, M-K 25, M-K 35, M-K 55, M-K 63, M-Q 54 and M-Q 76) and their parents (Kaya and Quantum), and two checks (Chevron, salt sensitive and CM 67, salt tolerant), were grown to assess their tolerance to drought (irrigated with 15 min. per week) and salinity (irrigated 15 min. per day with 150 mol m(-3) NaCl + 7.7 mol m(-3) CaCl2). For ion analysis, the fully emerged flag leaf of genotypes was used and the followings were measured Nitrate (NO3) Malate, Sulphate (SO4), Magnesium (Mg), Sodium (Na) and Potassium (K) and (K/Na) rate was computed. All of the ion accumulation in the leaves was generally higher in drought than those in saline and control plants. Although different responses to drought and salinity were found among the barley mutants, Quantum, M-Q 76, M-K 23 and M-Q 54 had the highest K/Na concentrations in the external saline treatments. These genotypes have performed as well as a salt tolerant genotype, CM 67. It was concluded that high K/Na rate could be used as a selection criterion to determine the level of tolerance to salinity of barley genotypes.