Comparison of salinity tolerance of four herbages at the seedling stage

In order to understand salinity tolerance of 4 herbages, seedlings of Roegneria thoroldiana, Puccinellia distans, Festuca sinensis and Elymus nutans were treated with different concentrations of NaCl solution; and the plant tissues damage degree, contents of chlorophyll, soluble sugar, soluble protein, free proline (Pro) and activities of peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) in the seedlings were measured after 7 day treatments. Results showed that the order of salt resistance of the four herbages was P.distansF.sinensisR.thoroldianaE.nutans with the 0.2% of NaCl solution treatment. However, when the salt concentration increased to 0.4%~1.0%, the trend of salt resistance from strong to weak was P. distans, R. thoroldiana, F. sinensis and E.nutans.