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Effects of soil salt levels on the growth and water use efficiency of Atriplex canescens (Chenopodiaceae) varieties in drying soil
Author(s) -
Glenn Edward P.,
Brown J. Jed
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.2307/2446548
Subject(s) - wilting , permanent wilting point , soil water , biology , agronomy , field capacity , water use efficiency , water potential , salt (chemistry) , osmotic pressure , irrigation , soil salinity , nutrient , plant growth , horticulture , botany , chemistry , ecology
The effect of salt stress on the growth and water use efficiency of the xerohalophyte Atriplex canescens (Pursh.) Nutt. in drying soil was determined by growing plants to the wilting point in soils receiving a one‐time irrigation of nutrient solution containing low, medium, and high levels of NaCl. The experiment compared three varieties of A. canescens that differed in salt tolerance and capacity for Na and K uptake in previous research. Contrary to expectations, we did not find that water and salt stress were strictly additive in reducing plant performance. Soil salts enhanced the growth performance of the plants in drying soil by increasing their days to wilting, ability to extract water from the soil, organic matter production, and water use efficiency. The variety with the highest salt tolerance also had the highest growth rates and water use efficiency on drying soils. We conclude that tolerances to water and salt stress are linked through a common mechanism of Na uptake for osmotic adjustment in this species.