Salt stress-mineral nutrient relations in olive (Olea europaea L.) plant

In order to investigate the effect of salt stress on mineral nutrients, one year-old olive (Olea europaea L. cv. Gemlik) seedlings were exposed to increasing levels of NaCl salinity (4 dS m-1, 8 dS m-1 and 12 dS m-1, respectively) in pot culture and Na, K, Ca, Mg, N, P, Cl, Fe, Mn, Zn concentrations, ratios of K/Na and (K+Ca+Mg)/Na of the plants were ascertained. Sodium and Cl concentrations of plant parts increased with the salinity and the level in the aerial parts of the plants were lower than that of root. Salinity led to a general decrease in K concentrations in the all organs with the exception of subsoil trunk. Calcium concentrations of the plant parts decreased significantly by salinity with the exception of roots and subsoil trunk. Salinity affected Mg concentrations only in trunk and leaves. Treatments significantly decreased the ratios of K/Na and (K+Ca+Mg)/Na of all the plant organs. Compared to control application the highest salinity level (12 dS m-1) decreased the N concentrations of all the plant organs statistically except roots. Similarly salinity increased the concentrations of P in all plant parts except trunks compared to control treatment. Concentrations of all the micronutrients detected in the study were found lower in aerial parts than the roots.