Abstract
One of the biochemical changes possibly occurring when plants are subjected to stress conditions is the production of active oxygen species (AOs). These AOs can seriously disrupt normal metabolism through peroxidative damage of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Antioxidative enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathion reductase (GR) are reported to take part in AOs scavenging systems and involve in stress tolerance of some plants.
The present study was conducted in order to find some evidences linking effects of salt stress on oxidative stress in rice. A significant increase in lipid peroxidation in stressed seedlings was found; this correlated with salt sensitivity of the tested cultivars. Increase in SOD, APX, GR, and decrease in CAT activities were observed. Relationships between constitutive and stress-induced activities of these enzymes with salt tolerance of rice were discussed by using cultivars with different levels of salt tolerance.
