Salt stress effect on morphometrical and anatomical leaf traits of promising poplar biotypes

Abstract

The purpose of the research was to determine the effect of short-term salt stress on the morphometric, anatomical and biochemical traits of fast-growing woody plants and to evaluate the promising poplar genotypes according to their degree of resistance. The experiments were conducted on five annual varieties in containers. The fourth leaf from the top of apical shoot, 80% of which corresponds to a maximum leaf area and high photosynthetic activity, was used in the experiment. The studies showed the nature of changes in the specific surface density and water content of the leaf of annual shoots. A short-term salt stress causes changes in leaf anatomy. Thus, the less stable genotype of poplar ‘Kitayskiy’ responds by the reduction of the leaf thickness. The changes in leaf anatomy of the experimental plants also include a decrease in height of the palisade and spongy parenchyma cells, which leads to the reduction of assimilation surface area and unproductive water loss. The study included analysis of changes in the proline concentration as a result of short-term salinization of the experimental plants. All samples showed a change in proline levels in response to stress, but most intense reaction was shown by genotypes ‘Veduga’ and ‘Hybrid e.s.-38’. In general, greater stability and plasticity at the initial stage of salinization is characteristic of poplars ‘Volosistoplodny’, ‘Sacrau-59’, ‘Hybrid e.s.-38’ and ‘Veduga’, which allows us to recommend them for reforestation and afforestation on irrigated soils.