SALINITY AFFECTS IONIC DISTRIBUTION IN ARTICHOKE (CYNARA CARDUNCULUS [L.] SUBSP. SCOLYMUS HAYEK)

Results of a field research to study soil salinity effects on artichoke ‘Catanese’ are reported.
The trial has been carried out in Southern Italy on a deep silty-clay soil, very variable for saline content because of a shallow water-table rich in salt.
In the field six areas with different soil ECe (electrical conductivity of saturated extract) values (3.3, 4.0, 4.5, 6.0, 9.7 and 11.5 dS m-1), were identified, and delimited in three plots.
In this paper salinity effects on ionic distribution in stem, leaves and heads of artichoke are assessed.
Soil salinity increase determined variations on cations content of different epigeous organs of plants.
Under rising salinity, (i) Na⁺ increased in all organs examined and was higher in basal leaves (average 1.98 g 100 g^-1 dw); (ii) K⁺ decreased in all organs and was higher in apical leaves (meanly 5.1 g 100 g^-1 dw); (iii) Mg²⁺ decreased in all organs examined and was higher in basal leaves (meanly 0.22 g 100 g^-1 dw); (iv) Ca²⁺ decreased in all organs and was higher in the older leaves (meanly 3.46 g 100 g^-1 dw).
Furthermore, salinity increased heads dry matter and caused head atrophy, probably due to Ca-deficit in heads.
The latter can be explained by Na⁺-Ca²⁺ absorption competition, and/or by a preferential allocation of Ca in old leaves resulting from a high evapotranspirative demand.

VII International Symposium on Artichoke, Cardoon and Their Wild Relatives

F. Boari, B. Pace, V.V. Bianco , V. Cantore

salinity tolerance, ion content, head atrophy

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2012.942.50