EFFECT OF SALINITY STRESS ON THE RATE OF CHLORIDE TRANSPORT ( JCI-) OF FOUR COTTON CULTIVARS Akhtar

Four cotton cultivars i.c. NIAB 7H and MNH I)~ (GoS.\)'pilllll hirsutuni) and Ravi and D 9 (Gos.I:Vpilll1l arborcl/III) were compared at 4 salinity levels (0, 75, 150, 250 mol 111-:1 NaCl) to study their effect on Clconcentration in plant parts (leaves and stem) and rate of chloride transport eCl-) from root to shoot at seedling stage in nutrient culture. The tolerant cultivar maintained lower concentrations of CIin leaves and stem than the sensitive ones although the rate of chloride transport eCI-) was higher in the tolerant cultivar as compared to the sensitive ones. It is noted that probably effec1ive ion regulation contributed to sail tolerance of the coli on cultivars