Salinity Differentially Affects Growth and Ecophysiology of Two Mastic Tree (Pistacia lentiscus L.) Accessions

Giuseppe Cristiano,Eugenio Cazzato,Salvatore Camposeo,Mariano Fracchiolla,Gaetano Vivaldi,Barbara De Lucia

doi:10.3390/f7080156

Giuseppe Cristiano, Eugenio Cazzato + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/f7080156

Copy DOI

Abstract

Pistacia lentiscus (Anacardiaceae; mastic tree) is an evergreen sclerophyll species, largely distributed in dry areas of the Mediterranean basin and well-adapted to severe conditions of drought in very unfertile soils. In the present study, we evaluated the growing responses of two accessions of P. lentiscus to three different levels of salinity under nursery conditions. The two mastic tree accessions (Manfredonia and Specchia) were collected from individual trees in two different sites in the Apulia region (Southern Italy) and subjected to three different levels of salinization by adding 0, 400, and 800 g of salts 100 L−1 of substrate, respectively. The following parameters were recorded: plant height; survival of plants and total root length; total biomass; number of leaves per plant and leaf area; as well as various ecophysiological traits. Salinity reduced the values of all the examined parameters, both morphological and physiological. Results suggested that P. lentiscus can tolerate and accumulate salt at high concentrations in nursery conditions. As a result, it is important to identify germplasm that is highly tolerant to salinity for the production of nursery seedlings that will be planted in saline soils.

Highlights

Pistacia lentiscus (Anacardiaceae) is an evergreen sclerophyll species, largely distributed in dry/warm areas of the Mediterranean basin and well-adapted to severe conditions of drought in very unfertile soils [1,2,3]
(Specchia). a–c: the letters denote statistically significant of mastic tree differences among salinity levels for each accession accession
The findings of this research give useful information about the abilities of adaptation, survival, and growth of different accessions of mastic trees grown in nursery conditions under salt stress

Summary

Introduction

Pistacia lentiscus (Anacardiaceae) is an evergreen sclerophyll species, largely distributed in dry/warm areas of the Mediterranean basin and well-adapted to severe conditions of drought in very unfertile soils [1,2,3]. In Southern Italy, P. lentiscus grows in diverse habitats along a climatic gradient that varies in solar radiation, temperature, and precipitation. It is currently being investigated for its potential to restore vegetation in dry-land areas of the Mediterranean basin, which may suffer from excess soil salinity during the warm summer season [4,5]. This species ( named the mastic tree) is well known in Mediterranean countries for its resin—mastic gum—used since antiquity for incense, as a chewing gum for pleasant breath, for spicing liqueurs and jam, and in the cosmetic industry [6]. Its distribution around the Mediterranean basin extends to north and eastern Africa and Madeira Island [7]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion