OBTAINING SALT (NACL) TOLERANT OLIVE PLANTS: I) SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF OLIVE PLANTS GROWING IN HARSH SALINE ZONES

With the final aim of obtaining salt tolerant olive plants, olive cvs. growing in the olive Germplasm Bank (World Collection) of Córdoba (Spain) (WC-CO) and plants growing in three harsh saline zones, each divided into two subzones, were selected.
The zones and subzones were: “Odiel” River Marsh (Huelva) with the subzones “Raboconejo” (O-RC) y “Acebuchal” (O-AC); “Doñana” National Park (Huelva) with the subzones “Zainao” (D-ZA) and “Velázquez” (D-VE) and “Bahia de Cádiz” Natural Park with the subzones “S. Fernando” (C-SF) and “Puerto Real” (C-PR).
There were differences between the leaf mineral composition of the cvs. growing in WC-CO, and plants growing in the different saline zones, that showed higher contents of Na and Cl (influence of NaCl in soil and air) and generally lower levels of N, K, and Ca.
Among oligoelements, saline zone plants presented higher Fe and lower Mn and Cu contents.
Anatomical observations revealed high variability in the leaves of the plants from the high saline zones, which in many cases were thinner than the WC-CO cv.s, largely due to reduced spongy mesophyll.
A slight relationship was seen between leaf Na and Cl content and total leaf and palisade parenchyma thickness for the leaves from saline zones.

IV International Symposium on Olive Growing

M. Cantos, J. Troncoso, J. Liñán, A. Troncoso, H. Rapaport

Olea europaea, L, leaf nutrient levels, leaf tissue.

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.586.90