Banana is often grown in coastal-regions, and while known for its sensitivity towards seawater, little is documented on the effect of sea-salt on the growth, physiology and metal homeostasis. Here we report that banana plantlets exposed to sea-salt at extreme (average seawater concentration; 52.7 dS m-1), severe (28.5 dS m-1) or moderate (10.2 dS m-1) salinity levels had reduced root length (2.0-6.0-fold), plant height (1.2-1.6-fold), leaf number (2.0-2.3-fold) and leaf area (3.3-4.0-fold) compared to control plantlets. Degradation of pigments (total chlorophyll: 1.3-12.3-fold, chlorophyll a: 1.3-9.2-fold; chlorophyll b: 1.3-6.9-fold lower and carotenoids: 1.4-3.7-fold lower) reflected vulnerability of photosystems to salt stress. Relative water content showed a maximum decrease of 1.5-fold in salt stress. MDA analysis showed sea-salt exposure triggers 2.3-3.5-fold higher lipid peroxidation. Metal content analysis showed a 73-fold higher Na value from roots exposed to extreme salinity compared to control plantlets. While phenotype was clearly affected, moderate salinity showed no significant alteration of macro (N, P, K and Ca) and micro (Fe, Mn and Cu) metal content. The antioxidant enzymes: SOD (3.2-fold), CAT (1.7-fold) and GR (6-fold) showed higher activity at moderate salinity level compared to control plantlets but lower activity at severe (SOD: 1.3-fold; CAT: 1.5-fold; GR: 2-fold lower) and extreme seawater salinity (SOD: 1.5; CAT: 1.9; GR: 1.3-fold lower). Mild changes in growth and physiology at sea-salt levels equivalent to moderate seawater flooding, indicate that banana will survive such flooding, while extreme seawater inundation will be lethal. This data provides a reference for future salinity-mediated work in banana.
Keywords: Antioxidant enzymes; Banana; Lipid peroxidation; Metal composition; Sea-salt; Seawater flooding.