Abstract
Bitter almond rootstock is considered one of the most vital rootstocks for stone fruit species but it is classified as a plant sensitive to salinity. This experiment was carried out to study the effect of salt stress on vegetative growth and photosynthetic pigments of bitter almond rootstock as an attempt to sustain growth and increase its tolerance to high salt concentrations. However, the seeds were soaked in salt solution of NaCl as 1, 3, and 5 dsm-1 for 48 hours before stratification. After that, nuts were sown in perlite and treated with different saline solutions subsequently stratified at 6 ℃ for eight weeks. Sprouted seeds were cultivated in pots with a mixture of peat and perlite and treated only with the highest salt concentration 5 dsm-1. The treatments were arranged in a complete randomized block design with three replications. Vegetative traits and photosynthetic pigments content were estimated. The results revealed that soaking and pre-treating seed of bitter almond rootstock by means of high salt concentration 5dsm-1 during the germination period and subsequently after planting produced stronger transplants that had hardening, adaptation and could avoid the hyperosmotic shock of salt stress after planting. It is obvious throughout; increment of stem diameter, plant height, total number of leaves\plant, fresh and dry weight of leaves, photosynthetic pigments and total carbohydrate content of such transplants. While other coming seedlings from low salt concentrations were exposed to hyperosmotic shock and salt injury therefore inhibit growth rate of such plants, increased falling of leaves and finally reduced photosynthetic pigments content in the resulting seedlings.
Highlights
Salinity is one of the oldest environmental problems affecting approximately 30% of irrigation land
Results obtained respecting the effect of nuts soaked and irrigated by different salinity concentrations on vegetative content and pigments content of bitter almond rootstock were presented in figures 1—6
Concerning the seedlings that germinated under low salt concentrations 1 and 3 dsm–1 (Figure 1), it was found that irrigated such seedlings with height salt concentration 5 dsm–1 after germination period caused a subsequent decrease in growth rate of stem diameter compared to the seedlings that already have been germinated under salt stress 5 dsm–1 which gained the adaptation case in germination period and its ability to tolerate salt stress after planting was improved
Summary
Salinity is one of the oldest environmental problems affecting approximately 30% of irrigation land. Salinity affects almost all stages of plant growth, involving emergence, vegetative growth and reproductive development [1]. NaCl is the most of the soluble salts in saline soil. Soil salinity causes ion toxicity, osmotic stress, nutrient (nitrogen, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, ferrous, and zinc) reduction and oxidative stress on plants. The ions Na+ and Cl– penetrate into cells of plants and may be accumulated in the vacuole for the tolerant plants or in the cytoplasm which in turn are known to be very toxic to the plant cell by injuring the cytoplasmic enzymes in sensitive cultivars [3]. Salinity is considered to be one of major factors limiting sustainable agriculture
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