Abstract
Salinity continues to be a major factor in reduced crop productivity and profit in many arid and semiarid regions. Seedlings of Diospyros kaki Thunb. and D. virginiana L. are commonly used as rootstock in persimmon cultivation. In this study we have evaluated the effects of different salinity levels on photosynthetic capacity and plant development of D. kaki and D. virginiana. Salinity was provided by adding 50 mM, 75 mM and 100 mM NaCl to nutrient solution. In order to determine the effects of different salinity levels on plant growth, leaf number, plant height, shoot and root dry mass were recorded. Besides leaf Na, Cl, K and Ca concentrations were determined. Also leaf chlorophyll concentration, chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv’/Fm’) and leaf gas exchange parameters including leaf net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gS), leaf transpiration rate (E), and CO2 substomatal concentration (Ci) were investigated. Significant decrease of leaf number, shoot length and plant dry mass by increasing salinity levels was observed in both rootstocks. D. virginiana was less affected in terms of plant growth under salinity stress. Leaf chlorophyll concentration reduction was higher in the leaves of D. kaki in comparison to D. virginiana in 100 mM NaCl treatment. By increasing salinity levels PN, gS and E markedly decreased in both rootstocks and D. kaki was more affected from salinity in terms of leaf gas exchange parameters. In addition there was no significant difference but slight decreases were recorded in leaf chlorophyll fluorescences of both rootstocks.
Highlights
Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is originally from China, and from there it spread to Korea and Japan
Significant differences were obtained according to a t test between D. kaki and D. virginiana in the 50, 75 and 100 mM NaCl treatments (Tab. 2)
Based on shoot and root dry matter productions, of D. virginiana was less affected than D. kaki regarding 100 mM NaCl treatments
Summary
Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is originally from China, and from there it spread to Korea and Japan. The cultivation of persimmon has found renewed interest in various countries of the Mediterranean basin, as well as in Turkey. According to 2011 data, Turkey’s persimmon production was 28295 tonnes on 2090 ha planted orchards (TUIK, 2014). Most of these orchards are located in the Mediterranean region where salt accumulation in soils is a natural process favoured by the ecological conditions and foremost by the water balance of the area (Zalidis et al, 2002). Persimmons can be grown in a wide range of soils, but prefer well-drained loam. Persimmons grow better in heavier soils than the most deciduous tree fruits and are sensitive to boron and salts in the soil (Farrar, 1999)
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