The effects of hormonal priming with ascorbic acid and gibberellic acid on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) metabolism during germination phase under saline conditions were studied to determine their effectiveness in increasing relative salt-tolerance. Seeds of wheat var. GW- 496 were pre-soaked in three levels each of ascorbic acid (AsA) viz., (50, 100 and 150 mg L1) and gibberellic acid (GA3) viz., (150, 200 and 250 mg L-1) for 2 hrs. Salinity stress was given by germinating pretreated seeds in NaCl @ 50, 75 and 100 mM in Petri plates. The experiment was carried out in four replications. The contents of three osmolytes viz., proline, total soluble sugar and free amino acid were measured. The activity of three antioxidative enzymes viz., polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase and catalase were also estimated. Application of AsA @ 100 mg L-1 increased proline and free amino acid content and activity of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase enzymes. However, total soluble sugar content and catalase enzyme activity were enhanced by 150 mg L-1AsA. GA3 @ 150 mg L-1 enhanced concentration all osmolytes viz., proline and total soluble sugar and free amino acid content, whereas 250 mg L-1 GA3 effectively increased polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase and catalase enzyme activity. It could be concluded that, pretreatment of wheat cultivar with AsA and GA3 could partially alleviate the harmful effect of salinity by increasing antioxidative enzymes activity and accumulation of osmolytes.

Key Words: Ascorbic acid, Biochemical parameters, Catalase, Free amino acid, Gibberellic acid, Peroxidase, Proline, Polyphenol oxidase, Total soluble sugar