PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE RESPONSE OF ORNAMENTAL PLANTS TO THE NACL CASE I. TAGETES ERECTA L.

The effect of application of sodium chloride (NaCl) on yield and growth of Tagetes erecta was determined in a preliminary study.
Plants were grown in New Growing System (NGS) tables with three different levels of salinity (T1=2.0, T2=4.5, and T3=6.5 dS m^-1) and the solutions were fitted to 5.5 pH. Each treatment was put in two tables of NGS with 22 plants each and four repetitions.
After harvest, the growth parameters, weight, number of flowers, dry matter, and concentrations of Na⁺ and Cl^– in the dry matter of each one of the parts and water consumption were quantified.
With increasing levels of salinity, the total weight, the plant height, and the number of flowers decreased.
The sodium concentrates in greater amounts in the leaf and stem obtaining a greater value in the 6.5 dS m^-1 and Chloride tissue increased with increasing EC. At the end of the period the T1 plants consumed 8.13 L plant^-1 period^-1, T2 consumed 6.42 L plant^-1 period^-1 (20% less) and (T3) consumed 4.81 L plant^-1 period^-1 (43% less compared to T1). Salinity affected the growth of the plant, but toxicity symptoms were not observed and, as a consequence, Tagetes can be considered as a useful species for revegetation.

XXVIII International Horticultural Congress on Science and Horticulture for People (IHC2010): International Symposium on Advances in Ornamentals, Landscape and Urban Horticulture

A. Escalona, J. Valverde, C. Dos Santos Coutinho, M.C. Salas

salt tolerance, Mediterranean areas, landscape, water uptake, nutrient uptake

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2012.937.118