Articles
The effect of salinity on Petunia multiflora ‘Damask Red’
Article number
1429_33
Pages
273 – 278
Language
English
Abstract
Petunias are popular bedding and potting plant species used for greening cities and contribute to biodiversity in cities by attracting pollinators.
Worldwide, in arid and semi-arid areas, natural resources for good quality water have decreased affecting ornamental plant production, hence determining the grown species.
Salinity in irrigation water causes plant stress that can result in stunted growth, nutritional deficiencies, and toxicity.
Depending on the plant’s tolerance, ornamental plants’ symptoms of salinity may also reduce their market value.
Irrigation water of low to moderate levels of salinity can be used successfully to produce ornamental crops for greening cities depending on the species tolerance to salinity, substrate type, and irrigation method.
The effect of irrigation water containing 0 (control), 2.5, 5, 10, 20, or 40 Mm NaCl on the plant growth of potted Petunia multiflora ‘Damask Red’ under greenhouse conditions is presented.
Plants irrigated with 20 or 40 Mm NaCl showed stunted growth in both plant height and diameter two weeks after the start of the experiment which gradually led to the chlorosis of the plant a month later.
On the other hand, while plants irrigated with 10 Mm NaCl showed overall similar growth to plants irrigated with <10 Mm NaCl, the former plants exhibited chlorosis towards the end of the experiment.
Maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (ΦPSIIo) was significantly reduced at 20 and 40 mM NaCl, while the operating efficiency of PSII photochemistry (ΦPSII) was not significantly affected by NaCl.
Overall, both the wet and dry weights of shoots and roots of plants irrigated with 20 or 40 Mm NaCl were significantly reduced compared to plants irrigated with 0 and 2.5 mM NaCl.
While salinity did not affect the substrate’s moisture retention capacity, it did affect the saturated hydraulic conductivity.
This study showed that potted Petunia multiflora ‘Damask Red’ plants grown under greenhouse conditions were negatively affected at concentrations greater than 5 mM NaCl which became significant at 20 and 40 mM NaCl.
Worldwide, in arid and semi-arid areas, natural resources for good quality water have decreased affecting ornamental plant production, hence determining the grown species.
Salinity in irrigation water causes plant stress that can result in stunted growth, nutritional deficiencies, and toxicity.
Depending on the plant’s tolerance, ornamental plants’ symptoms of salinity may also reduce their market value.
Irrigation water of low to moderate levels of salinity can be used successfully to produce ornamental crops for greening cities depending on the species tolerance to salinity, substrate type, and irrigation method.
The effect of irrigation water containing 0 (control), 2.5, 5, 10, 20, or 40 Mm NaCl on the plant growth of potted Petunia multiflora ‘Damask Red’ under greenhouse conditions is presented.
Plants irrigated with 20 or 40 Mm NaCl showed stunted growth in both plant height and diameter two weeks after the start of the experiment which gradually led to the chlorosis of the plant a month later.
On the other hand, while plants irrigated with 10 Mm NaCl showed overall similar growth to plants irrigated with <10 Mm NaCl, the former plants exhibited chlorosis towards the end of the experiment.
Maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (ΦPSIIo) was significantly reduced at 20 and 40 mM NaCl, while the operating efficiency of PSII photochemistry (ΦPSII) was not significantly affected by NaCl.
Overall, both the wet and dry weights of shoots and roots of plants irrigated with 20 or 40 Mm NaCl were significantly reduced compared to plants irrigated with 0 and 2.5 mM NaCl.
While salinity did not affect the substrate’s moisture retention capacity, it did affect the saturated hydraulic conductivity.
This study showed that potted Petunia multiflora ‘Damask Red’ plants grown under greenhouse conditions were negatively affected at concentrations greater than 5 mM NaCl which became significant at 20 and 40 mM NaCl.
Authors
A.T. Paraskevopoulou, Ε. Pantazis, G. Liakopoulos, P. Londra, K. Bertsouklis
Keywords
floriculture, waste water, recycled water, saline water, irrigation, NaCl
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