## Results and Discussion
### Dry Matter, Protein Content and Mineral Profile  
The leaf dry matter (DM) content recorded in the green and red perilla plants ranged from 18.3% to 22.4% and from 16.1% to 21.7%, respectively (Table 2). Salt treatment increased the leaf DM percentage with the highest values observed in green perilla at 20 and 30 mM as well as in red perilla plants at 30 mM NaCl (Table 2). Analysis of variance also highlighted that the genotype \(\times\) salinity interaction was significant for proteins with the highest values observed in green and red perilla under non-saline conditions (Table 2). Our findings on the proteins content (237-282 and 204-274 g\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\) dw in green and red perilla, respectively) were proximate to the 130 and 206 g\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\) dw reported by [PERSON] [30] on _Perilla frutscens_ harvested at three morphological stages (42, 49 and 52 days after sowing).  
It is well known that the presence of major minerals (P, S, K, Ca and Mg) in the human diet is crucial since these macronutrients have multiple properties and functionality for human metabolism and homeostasis [31]. In fact, [PERSON] [32] stated that fruits and vegetables normally contribute 11%, 35%, 7% and 24% of the total human dietary intake of phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium, respectively. Among the macro cations and anions analyzed, K+ was the main mineral constituent followed by PO\({}_{4}\)\({}^{3-}\), Ca\({}^{2+}\), Mg\({}^{2+}\) and finally SO\({}_{4}\)\({}^{2-}\) (Table 2). To our knowledge, this is the first scientific work reporting the leaf mineral profile of green and red perilla plants, which could constitute an important information for the food composition databases.  
Concerning the influence of genetic material on mineral composition, significant variation was recorded for K+, Ca\({}^{2+}\), Mg\({}^{2+}\) and Na\({}^{+}\), whereas neither genotype nor salinity treatment had a significant effect on SO\({}_{4}\)\({}^{2-}\) concentration in leaves (avg. 0.27 g\(\cdot\)kg\({}^{-1}\) dw; Table 2). The highest values of calcium, magnesium and sodium were recorded in green perilla, whereas an opposite trend was observed for potassium with the highest concentration observed in red perilla (Table 2). Nutritional interest in vegetables such as perilla containing high concentrations of minerals (K+ in red perilla, Ca\({}^{2+}\) and Mg\({}^{2+}\) in green perilla) has been associated with the health-promoting functions of these macro-minerals, such as lowering of blood pressure and waste elimination (for K), enhancement of skeletal health as well as reduced incidence of osteoporosis (for Ca and Mg) [31]. The PO\({}_{4}\)\({}^{3-}\), K+, Ca\({}^{2+}\) and Mg\({}^{2+}\) concentrations in both green and red perilla leaves were negatively influenced by salt stress treatment but only at 20 and 30 mM NaCl (Table 2). The nutritional disorder incurred by perilla plants at 20 and 30 mM NaCl has been associated to several mechanisms, including: (i) osmotic effects of Na\({}^{+}\) and Cl\({}^{-}\); (ii) reduction in cell membrane integrity (i.e., permeability); and (iii) alteration in the uptake and translocation of monovalent (K+) and bivalent cations (Ca\({}^{2+}\) and Mg\({}^{2+}\)) due to the competitive interactions with Na\({}^{+}\)[33]. Therefore, green and to a much lesser degree red perilla plants become more sensitive to Na\({}^{+}\) and/or Cl\({}^{-}\) injuries (especially with 20 and 30 mM NaCl), resulting in biomass reduction and fresh yield loss