Amin Abbasi

In attention to the importance of forage plants and the necessity to use genetic resources and in order to overcome the environmental stresses such as salinity, uniform grass pea seeds (landrace of Maragheh) were selected and grown in hydroponic system. At 4-5 leaves stage, seedlings were subjected to 200 mM salt stress for a period of 10 days. Sampling was done from the leaves and roots of seedlings and it used to assess the antioxidant enzymes involving in defense mechanisms. Evaluation of antioxidant enzymes in grass pea leaves showed that despite a significant increase in catalase, total superoxide dismutase and guaiacol peroxidase, injury to the membranes has been increased. Likely, the increased damage to membranes would be caused by lack of significant increase in ascorbate peroxidase and isozyme of Cu/Zn-SOD. Because the low activity of this enzymes led to inefficient implementation of Mehler cycle following by reduce efficiency of xantophyll cycle and a change in Tylakoid status. Therefore, ROS production overcomes the plant defense mechanisms leading to increased lipid peroxidation under salinity. Interestingly in the root and under salt stress, the rate of damage to cell and organelle membranes was significantly reduced compared with the control. It seems unexpected behavior of root may be due to the changes in fatty acid compositions of the membranes structure