The present study was conducted during 2006 and 2007 experimental seasons to investigate the salinity tolerance of banana plants through studying the response of some vegetative growth and chemical constituents to the specific and interaction effects of four evaluated factors i.e., a) banana cv. (Williams & Grand Nain); b) salinity concentration (2000 & 3000 ppm), c) SAR (3 & 6) and d) Cl:SO4 ratio (low & high).
Data obtained revealed that all evaluated growth measurements (pseudostem height & circumference); (number of leaves & area); fresh and dry weights of differential above and underground plant organs, as well as leaves senescent rate responded significantly as they exhibiting a negative relationship to level of salinity, SAR and Cl:SO4 ratio except senescent rate which followed a conflicted trend.
Nevertheless, all chemical constituents under study i.e., foliar photosynthetic pigments (chlo. A & B and carotines); proline and mineral nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn and Zn) were significantly influenced. Whereas photosynthetic pigments and some nutrients (N, P, K, Mg, Fe, Mn and Zn) followed the same trend previously detected with growth measurements, however proline and both (Ca & Na) followed an opposite direction (similar to that found with senescent rate of leaves) regarding their response to level of salinity conc., SAR and Cl:SO4 ratio. Besides, in most cases Grand Nain plants showed significantly higher values of both vegetative growth and chemical composition except senescent rate and leaf (Ca & Na) content, where the reverse was true with Williams cv.