Articles
LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF SALINITY ON FRUIT TREES
Article number
449_83
Pages
599 – 606
Language
Abstract
Threshold salinity levels for fruit tree crops are generally based on vegetative growth of young trees with few studies encompassing long-term productivity.
Some long-term studies have shown that salts accumulate in the wood for several years before concentrations become toxic and trees rapidly decline.
It has been hypothesized that the woody tissue serves as a sink and when the storage capacity is exceeded, Na+ rapidly moves into the leaves killing the tree.
Establishing threshold salinity levels for tree crops is essential but long-term salt tolerance studies are extremely time consuming and expensive.
An alternative method was investigated to determine salt loading as a function of salt stress during particular times of tree development.
Knowing the rate of salt accumulation and the capacity of the woody tissue would greatly aid the development of irrigation strategies.
To test the above hypothesis, core samples (5 mm diameter) were taken from the trunks of fruit trees that had been exposed to different salinity stresses.
Cores were dissected into incremental 1-cm segments and sodium concentrations were measured.
Patterns of Na+ accumulation across the trunks in relation to periods of salt stress during tree development are presented and discussed.
Some long-term studies have shown that salts accumulate in the wood for several years before concentrations become toxic and trees rapidly decline.
It has been hypothesized that the woody tissue serves as a sink and when the storage capacity is exceeded, Na+ rapidly moves into the leaves killing the tree.
Establishing threshold salinity levels for tree crops is essential but long-term salt tolerance studies are extremely time consuming and expensive.
An alternative method was investigated to determine salt loading as a function of salt stress during particular times of tree development.
Knowing the rate of salt accumulation and the capacity of the woody tissue would greatly aid the development of irrigation strategies.
To test the above hypothesis, core samples (5 mm diameter) were taken from the trunks of fruit trees that had been exposed to different salinity stresses.
Cores were dissected into incremental 1-cm segments and sodium concentrations were measured.
Patterns of Na+ accumulation across the trunks in relation to periods of salt stress during tree development are presented and discussed.
Authors
A.M. Boland, P. Jerie, E. Maas
Keywords
Sodium, accumulation, storage capacity, core samples, Prunus armeniaca, Pyrus communis, Citrus sinensis
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