Sodium chloride (NaCl) concentratíons 200 to 900 mM enhanced the photosynthetic rate (Pn) both in whole leaves and in mechanically isolated, intact mesophyll cells of a salt marsh halophyte Sesuvium portulacastrum wilh a maximum at 600 mM NaCl. These changes were in agreement with changes in chlorophyll concentration in leaves. Though the increasing salt concentratíons resulted in leaf succulence, no change in the photosynthetic carbon pathway was observed.
Field studies with segregating populations under short days showed a significant positive correlation between tuber yield and the light-saturated net photosynthetic rate (Fn) in the 4th leaf from the top, at the tuber formation stage, in two seasons. The leaf area per plant {A) at this stage and also at the tuber bulking stage had a significant positive correlation with tuber yield. The product of PN and A also showed a significant positive correlation with tuber yield at both of these stages, a stronger one than that between tuber yield and A at the tuber formation stage.