Aeroponic Cultivation Research Articles

Growth, ion accumulation, and lipid composition of two olive genotypes under salinity1

Abstract Olive (Olea europaea L cv. Leccino and cv. Frantoio) plants grown in aeroponic cultivation system were supplied with Hoagland solutions containing 0 and 150 mM NaCl for 4 weeks. Sodium (Na+), chloride (Cl‐), and potassium (K+) concentration was measued on 15‐day‐old leaves and K+/Na+ selectivity ratio was calculated. Plant water relations were estimated on the same leaves by measuring leaf bulk water and osmotic potentials, and by calculating leaf turgor pressure. Root and leaf tissues were also analysed for lipid composition, estimating free sterol (FS), glycolipid (GL) and phospholipd (PL) content. The salt‐sensitive Leccino accumulated more Na+ and Cl‐ in the leaves and showed a lower K+/Na+ selectivity ratio than the salt‐tolerant Frantoio. The FS/PL ratio and the content of GL (namely mono‐galactosyldiglyceride, MGDG) in the roots were related to the salt accumulation in the shoot. Salinity‐induced changes on root lipids were more important in Frantoio than in Leccino, indicating the specifi...

Ionic relations of aeroponically-grown olive genotypes, during salt stress

Two olive (Olea europaea L.) genotypes, ‘Frantoio’ and ‘Leccino’, were exposed to increasing concentrations of NaCl (0-30-60-120 mM) in an aeroponic cultivation system for 60 days. Dry weights and sodium and potassium contents of apical and basal leaves, new and old wood, and roots were measured to determine Na uptake rate, Na translocation rate and K-Na selectivity ratio (SK,Na). ‘Frantoio’ showed a higher salt resistance than ‘Leccino’. ‘Frantoio’ and ‘Leccino’ had a similar Na uptake rate, but largely differed for Na translocation to the shoot. Furthermore ‘Frantoio’ exhibited a higher K-Na selectivity than ‘Leccino’ at both whole plant level and above all at the level of shoot system. Resistance mechanism of ‘Frantoio’ is probably related to Na esclusion by roots and to the ability to maintain an appropriate K/Na ratio in actively growing tissues.