Effect of NaCl on Photosynthesis and some Morpho-Physiological Traits of Almond (Prunus dulcis Mill.)

Authors

Abstract

In order to evaluate the effects of NaCl on some morpho- physiological traits in almond and alteration of photosynthetic parameters, an experiment was performed based on completely randomized design with five treatments included 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mM of sodium chloride in three replications. The results indicated that the contents of sodium and chloride were increased in almond seedlings but quantities of relative water content, chlorophyll index and dry weight of leaves were decreased in parallel with augmentation of salt levels significantly (p ≤ 0.05). In these conditions, alterations of leaf temperature were not significant but the seedlings percentage indicating marginal leaf scorch symptoms was increased up to 89% with relatively regular template. Applied salt in the lowest level enhanced the mean of internal CO2 and metabolic-stomatal limitation up to 35 μmol.mol-1 and 39.5% as well as decreased the mean of CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance up to 6 mol.m-2.s-1 and 0.15 mol.m-2, respectively (p ≤ 0.05). In this probe, high efficiency of some measured traits such as relative water content, chlorophyll index and marginal leaf scorch symptoms was revealed in quick screen of the salt tolerant genotypes.

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