Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Institute of African Research and Studies - Department of Natural Resource

The present investigation was conducted out at the Nursery of Forestry Department, Horticulture Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza, during the two successive seasons of 2010 -2011 and 2011- 2012 in order to study the effects of sodium silicate (Na2SiO4) 500and 1000 ppm and Gibberellic acid (GA3) 50and 100 ppm application on improving salt tolerance and ameliorate the adverse effects of salt stress (4000, 8000 and 12000 ppm) on Jatropha curcas seedling. The layout of this experiment was completely randomized design (CRD) with two factors; the first was the irrigation water salinity treatments and the second was the treatments with Gibberllic acid or Sodium silicate. Seedlings of Jatropha curcas 12 months old were irrigated every 7 days using tap water (control, 270 ppm) and used irrigation by saline water at concentrate 4000, 8000, 12000 ppm, after two weeks from planting in both seasons. At the 1st of November, Gibberellic acid (GA3) at the concentrations (50ppm ,100ppm), as well as sodium silicate at the concentrations (500ppm ,1000ppm ) were applied as foliar spray once every two weeks during 4 month after the addition of transactions salinity to the seedlings of Jatropha curcas. The data, which have been recorded, were: plant height (cm), stem diameter (cm), number of leaves / plant, total leaves area per plant (cm2), length of roots (cm), fresh weights of shoot and roots (g), dry weights of shoot and roots (g), chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids (mg/g F. W.), sugars, free amino acids, total soluble phenols and proline as well as N,P, K, Na and Cl. The analysis of variance of data was carried out using L.S.D. test.

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