Premium
The effect of NaCl salinity and water stress with polyethylene glycol on nitrogen fixation, stomatal response and transpiration of Medicago sativa, Trifolium repens and Trifolium brachycalycinum (subclover)
Author(s) -
SánchezDíaz M.,
AparicioTejo P.,
GonzálezMurúa C.,
Peña J. I.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.1982.tb00271.x
Subject(s) - nitrogen fixation , medicago sativa , trifolium subterraneum , transpiration , salinity , trifolium repens , agronomy , peg ratio , chemistry , biology , medicago , horticulture , nitrogen , photosynthesis , botany , pasture , ecology , organic chemistry , finance , economics , biochemistry , gene
The objective of this study was to investigate the behaviour of different legumes against salinity and water stress, thus trying to discover simultaneous adaptations to both stresses. The nitrogen fixation, transpiration, predawn leaf water potential, and stomatal response of Medicago sativa L. (cvs. Tierra de Campos and Aragon), Trifolium repens L. (cv. Aberystwyth S‐184) and T. brachycalycinum Katzn. et Morley (= T. subterraneum L. cv. Clare) were compared at three levels of stress (0.05, 0.3 and 0.5 MPa of either NaCl or polyethylene glycol 6000) in nutrient solution. The plants were stressed for three days and then returned to control nutrient solution. The changes in the parameters analyzed were dependent on the proportion of stress treatments and the nature of the species, always being greater in plants from PEG than from NaCl solutions. Transfer of lucerne and subclover plants from NaCl at 0.05 MPa to a non‐saline medium resulted in an increase of nitrogen fixation above the level of the non‐salinized control plants, especially significant in lucerne. Analysis of possible inorganic impurities in commercial PEG suggest that such type of impurities are not responsible for the toxic effects reported. Plant damage resulting from PEG treatment was apparently due to penetrations of PEG (as determined qualitatively by using the tetraiodinebismuthic acid technique) or low‐molecular organic impurities into the plant. – The results are discussed as part of the adaptation of the different species to salinity and water stress. The best performance was given by “Tierra de Campos”.