Abstract

In this study, NaCl at varrious concentrations of 4 – 10 g/L was used to investigate the salt tolerance of in vitro shoot cuttings of Chrysanthemum indicum. Morphological, physiological and biochemical changes during the response of shoot cuttings in the salinity stress were analyzed. NaCl at 6 g/L reduced the development of shoot cuttings. Under salinity stress conditions, there have just a little reduction of the chloroplast in parenchymal cells near the midrib of leaf before they turn brown and die. Besides, carotenoid, starch content, and photosynthesis intensity were decreased. In contrast, respiration rate, proline and total soluble sugar content, and the activity of IAA and gibberellin were strongly increased. The application of IAA 0.25 mg/L, zeatin 0.1 mg/L and GA3 0.1 mg/L improved the shoot development in the salinity stress condition. Shoots in MS medium supplemented with BA 0.2 mg/L, NAA 2 mg/L and NaCl 6 g/L grow better in salinity stress condition.