Comparison of Salinity-Induced Changes in Two Cultivars of Barley

In vitro effects of salinity were compared in two cultivars of barley (Hordeum vulgare cv. Bornova-92 and Hilal). Mature embryos were cultured on Murashige and Skoog media supplemented with 0, 50 and 100 mM NaCl for 20 days. NaCl-treatment decreased maximum shoot length, total soluble protein and DNA contents in both cultivars but decreased maximum root length in Hilal. Changes in fresh and dry weight and water content were not statistically-significant. Inhibitory effects were more dramatic in Hilal. Salinity did not cause genotoxic effects in both cultivars yet slightly affected protein patterns in Bornova-92. However, salinity altered cytosine methylation patterns from CCG to CG in Bornova-92, from CG to CCG in Hilal. Bornova-92 and Hilal may be regarded as salt-tolerant and salt-susceptible, respectively and the relative salt-tolerance of Bornova-92 may be due to cytosine methylation patterns and/or regulation of protein synthesis.