Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Agriculture - Department of Pomology

The current study was carried out to investigate the effect of salinity stress (NaCl) on three in vitro regenerated olive shoots of three cultivars (Teffahi, Aggizi shami and Koroneiki). Olive cultivars were subjected to six saline treatments (0, 2500, 5000, 7500, 10000 and 12500 mg L-1 of NaCl). In order to examine the role of olive roots in salinity tolerance, rooted plantlets of Aggizi shami and Teffahi olive cultivars were subjected to salt stress (0, 5000 and 10000 mg l-1NaCl). The obtained data indicated that, increasing NaCl concentration in growth media significantly decreased survival percentage, shoot length, total leaves number/plantlet, shoot fresh weight (FW), shoot dry weight (DW), plantlet fresh weight (FW), plantlet dry weight (DW), root number, root fresh weight, root dry weight (DW). Chlorophyll (a/b&/total) content. Moreover salinity stress increased defoliation%, salt injury index, and proline content.The analysis of leaf mineral content showed a significant increase in leaf content of Na+ and decrease of K+ and Ca2+ content under salinity stress. NaCl at 10000 mg L-1 considered as the lethal dose as it recorded high mortality rate of the three olive cultivars. A marked change in leaf anatomical structure was observed under salinity stress. The obtained results showed that, Aggizi shami and Teffahi cvs. were more tolerant to salinity stress as both cultivars showed higher survival percentage and better growth performance compared with Koroneiki cv.

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