Effect of salinity on alkaloid accumulation and some metabolites in fruits of datura stramonium

ABSTRACT

Changes in growth and chemical composition such as saccharides, protein, free amino acids, alkaloids and mineral of fruits of salinized Datura stramonium were studied. The fresh and dry matter was mostly increased with the rise of salinization level. Generally, the insoluble and total saccharides, insoluble protein, free amino acids other than protein and total alkaloid contents increased significantly with the rise of salinization level. However, the soluble saccharides, soluble and total protein, proline contents decreased with the rise of salinization level. Mineral composition also exhibited significant change, but the dominant feature was the progressively increased of sodium content with the rise of salinity level