EFFECT OF SEA WATER SALINITY ON NODULATION AND NITROGEN FIXATION IN PROSOPIS JULIFLORA (Swartz) DC.

Abstract

Fifty six day old Prosopis juliflora seedlings were subjected to 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80% sea water treat¬ment for one month. After 86 days the morphology of nodules, root-shoot ratio and total nitrogen content in root and shoot were analysed. Nodules showed morphological alterations in size.and shape. Root-shoot ratio was lowest in the control and showed a gradual increase with increasing sea water concentrations. The amount of nitrogen in the stem and leaves showed a gradual decrease due to disturbance in the translocation of diva¬lent cations to the aerial parts, while roots registered a gradual increase with increasing sea water concentra¬tions due to accumulation of assimilated nitrogen in the roots.