17 G.-Q. Wu1 H. Li Y.-H. Zhu S.-J. Li Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences JAPS 20202020/12/15 31 4 1028-1035 1018-7081 https://doi.org/10.36899/JAPS.2021.4.0299 <p>Salt-alkali stress is a major environmental factor that seriously limits crops development and productivity worldwide. The objective of this study is to compare growth and physiological responses of sainfoin (<em>Onobrychis viciaefolia</em>) to alkali (NaHCO₃) and salt-alkali (NaCl: NaHCO₃) stress, by investigating biomass, photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant enzymes, inorganic ions, organic substances such as proline and sugars. It was shown that both alkaline and saline-alkaline stress treatments significantly reduced fresh weight (FW) and dry weight (DW), chlorophyll (Chl) contents, K⁺&nbsp;concentrations, antioxidant enzymes activity and soluble sugars contents, whereas clearly increased malondialdehyde (MDA), proline and Na⁺&nbsp;concentrations in sainfoin plants compared with control (no added NaCl and NaHCO₃). It is also observed that in the 150 mM NaHCO₃, peroxidase (POD) activity, soluble sugar contents and K⁺/Na⁺&nbsp;ratio in plants under NaHCO₃&nbsp;treatment were lower than those in plants under NaCl: NaHCO_3&nbsp;treatment. These results suggested that the damages caused by alkaline stress on the growth of sainfoin plants are more serious than those caused by saline-alkaline stress treatments. The findings of the present work provide a basis for understanding the physiological responses to saline-alkaline stress in forage legumes.</p> Forage legume; antioxidant enzymes; proline; soluble sugars; malondialdehyde Pakistan Agricultural Scientists Forum https://thejaps.org.pk/AbstractView.aspx?mid=AG-20-0005