Iwuala, E. N.Ajiboye, A. A.Kanu, R. N.Epoffiong, A. E.2023-12-142023-12-142016-04-09Aebi, H. (1984). Catalase in vitro. Methods in Enzymology, 105: 121-126. Ahmad, A., and Abdin, M. Z. (1999). NADH: nitrate reductase and NAD(P)H: nitrate reductase activities in mustard seedlings. Plant Science, 14:1-8. Aslam, M. and Oaks, A. (1976). Comparative studies on the induction and inactivation of nitrate reductase in corn roots and leaves. Plant Physiology, 57: 572-576. Brown, K. R., Thompson, W. A., Camm, E. L., Hawkins, B. J., and Guy, R. D. (1996). Effects of N addition rates on the productivity of Picea sitchensis, Thuja plicata, and Tsuga heterophylla seedlings. II. Photosynthesis, 13C discrimination and N partitioning in foliage. Trees, 10: 198–205. Cao, Y., Fan, X .R., Sun, S. B., Xu, G .H., Hu, J, and Shen, Q. R. (2008). Effect of nitrate on activities and transcript levels of nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase in rice. Pedosphere, 18: 664- 673. Causton, D. R. (1994). Plant growth analysis: A note on the variability of unit leaf rate within a sample. Annals of Botany, 74: 513-518. Chang, H., Siegel, B. Z., and Siegel, S. M. (1984). Salinity induced changes in isoperoxidase in taro, Colocasia esculenta. Phytochemistry, 23: 233–235.https://keffi.nsuk.edu.ng/handle/20.500.14448/6102This study investigates the physiological responses of Acalypha wilkesiana seedlings to short-term salinity stress and foliar supply of nitrogen. Seedlings were grouped into three group, each representing a treatment and replicated 6 times. Group 1 (W) which served as the control received 350 ml of water every 3 days throughout the experiment period; Group 2 (N) received 350 ml of water every 3 days and a weekly foliar spray of 100 ml 0.1 M ammonium nitrate solution throughout the study period; Group 3 (S) received 350 ml of 0.1 M NaCl solution every 3 days throughout. Growth and physiological parameters were evaluated after the treatments. The results showed that salinity caused a decrease in plant biomass, relative growth rate, relative water content (RWC) and a significant increase in lipid peroxidation, and activities of catalase enzyme. It was observed that foliar application of nitrogen significantly increased the growth parameters, and nitrate reductase activity. The data presented in this work underscored the fact that foliar nitrogen supply induces a positive effect on the growth of Acalypha wilkesiana as compared to salinity stress. The relevance of the findings were discussed in relation to impacts of nitrogen supply on the growth of A. wikesiana and a simulated salt polluting environments.enBiomass, catalase, enzyme, growth, nitrogen, responses, seedlings, treatments.Article