Salinity effects on annual bedding plants in a peat-perlite medium and solution culture
Title:
Salinity effects on annual bedding plants in a peat-perlite medium and solution culture
Author:
Huang, Zong T. Cox, Douglas A.
Appeared in:
Journal of plant nutrition
Paging:
Volume 11 (1988) nr. 2 pages 145-159
Year:
1988-02
Contents:
Annual vinca (Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don 'Pink Carpet'), geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum L. H. Bailey 'Jackpot'), and marigold (Tagetes erecta L. 'First Lady') were grown in a sphagnum peat moss and perlite medium. Plants were irrigated with solutions of different salinity by the addition of 0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 g/1 of a NaCl and CaCl2 mixture resulting in solution electrical conductivity (EC) values of about 1.3, 3.0, 4.5, 7.9, and 13.9 ds/m, respectively. In another experiment marigold and geranium were grown in solution culture containing the same salt mixture at 0.0, 1.0, 4.0, and 8.0 g/1 with EC values of 1.4, 3.0, 7.4, and 12.5 ds/m, respectively. All species showed some salinity tolerance up to 2.0 g/1 in peat-perlite and 1.0 g/1 in solution culture as growth reductions were below 10% and no foliar injury occurred. Foliar injury occurred on marigold and geranium, but not annual vinca, at 4.0 and 8.0 g/1 in both growing media. On a concentration basis, recently mature leaves sampled from marigold grown in peat-perlite contained more chloride (Cl) but less sodium (Na) than geranium and annual vinca. However results of the solution culture experiment showed that, with the exception of 1.0 g/1 treatment, geranium and marigold plants absorbed the same amount of Cl and Na when content was expressed on a mg/g dry weight basis. The low Na concentration in marigold leaves was a reflection of restricted translocation of Na from the roots to the shoots.
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