Change in antioxidant enzymes activity and some morpho-physiological characteristics of strawberry under long-term salt stress

The effects of long term salinity on some morpho-physiological characteristics were studied in strawberry Kurdistan and Queen elisa cultivars. Vegetative and biochemical traits were measured in strawberry cultivars subjected to three levels of salinity including 0, 40 and 80 mM at 20, 40 and 60th days after NaCl addition. Results showed that in both cultivars the dry weight of plant organs decreased in response to NaCl, except of crown weight in cv. Kurdistan. Root to shoot ratio increased due to a greater reduction in above ground biomass under salinity. Strawberry cultivars tended to decrease their stomatal conductance, RWC, proline, soluble carbohydrates and proteins during the different evaluation periods. Compared to the 20th day, peroxidase activity decreased at 80 mM during 40 and 60 days in cv. Queen elisa. On the contrary, ascorbate peroxidase activity elevated until the 40th day and decreased afterwards, in addition application of 40 and 80 mM NaCl increased the ascorbate peroxidase activity of both studied cultivars. Catalase activity increased from 20th until 60th days in cv. Queen elisa, while showed increase in cv. Kurdistan until day 40 and then decreased again at day 60. Application of 40 and 80 mM NaCl resulted in an increase in peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase and catalase activities of both cultivars. The Queen elisa cv. showed lower tolerance index (45.88%) compared with cv. Kurdistan (67.97%). Finally, higher salinity resistance of cv. Kurdistan is probably associated with its ability to maintain higher RWC and higher activity of antioxidant enzymes.