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International Journal of Horticulture 2014, Vol.4, No.7, 32
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39
http://ijh.biopublisher.ca
34
Table 1 Percentage survival and some agronomic parameters of
Alternanthera maritima
after 12 weeks of exposure to different levels of
salt spray
Salt spray
level
Survival
(%)
Stem girth
(cm)
Leaf area
(cm
2
)
Number of branches
plant
-1
Number of leaves
plant
-1
Plant height
(cm)
Number of roots
plant
-1
Root length
(cm)
CSS
100.00 0.41
a
18.05
a
5.25
a
52.46
a
28.34
a
39.67
a
28.00
a
2SS
100.00 0.46
b
13.14
b
7.25
a
60.56
b
31.84
a
36.67
a
25.00
a
4SS
100.00 0.47
b
14.42
b
8.00
a
59.10
b
34.75
a
37.67
a
26.12
a
6SS
100.00 0.46
b
11.27
b
8.00
a
61.34
b
39.44
ab
39.00
a
27.67
a
Note: Each value is a mean of 6 replicates. For each parameter, means with the same letter(s) [in superscript] in the same column are not
significantly different at P≥0.05 (Turkey HSD). CSS=deionized water sprays (control), 2SS=two salt sprays per week, 4SS=four salt
sprays per week, 6SS=six salt sprays per week
Table 2 Fresh and dry mass, root: shoot ratio, relative growth rate (RGR) and leaf total chlorophyll (LTC) of
Alternanthera maritima
after
12 weeks of exposure to different levels of salt spray
Salt
spray
level
Leaf fresh
mass (g)
Stem
fresh
mass (g)
Root
fresh
mass (g)
Shoot
fresh
mass (g)
Leaf dry
mass
(g)
Stem dry
mass
(g)
Root dry
mass
(g)
Shoot
dry mass
(g)
Total
biomass
(g)
Root:
shoot
RGR
(gg
-1
d
-1
)
LTC (mgg
-1
Fresh leaves)
CSS 6.10
a
10.44
a
6.35
a
16.47
a
2.93
a
6.03
a
3.73
a
8.93
a
12.57
a
0.43
a
0.070
a
1.85
a
2SS
6.66
a
15.26
b
6.33
a
21.87
b
2.61
a
8.42
b
3.76
a
11.01
b
14.55
ab
0.33
b
0.077
a
1.25
b
4SS
6.42
a
18.46
b
7.59
a
24.48
b
2.56
a
10.04
b
4.33
a
12.46
b
16.87
ab
0.34
b
0.078
a
1.21
b
6SS
6.61
a
16.30
b
6.29
a
22.39
b
2.49
a
9.30
b
3.64
a
11.83
b
15.92
ab
0.29
b
0.077
a
1.11
b
Note: Each value is a mean of 6 replicates. For each parameter, means with the same letter(s) [in superscript] in the same column are not
significantly different at P≥0.05 (Turkey HSD). RGR=relative growth rate, LTC=leaf total chlorophyll, CSS=deionized water sprays
(control), 2SS=two salt sprays per week, 4SS=four salt sprays per week, 6SS=six salt sprays per week
Table 3 Water status of
Alternanthera maritima
after 12 weeks of exposure to different levels of salt spray
Salt spray
level
Leaf moisture
content (%)
Stem moisture
content (%)
Root moisture
content (%)
Shoot moisture
content (%)
Pre-dawn water potential
(-MPa)
Mid-day water potential
(-MPa)
CSS
52.03
a
41.98
a
39.98
a
45.65
a
3.12
a
3.52
a
2SS
60.81
b
44.77
b
40.58
a
49.74
b
5.07
b
5.75
b
4SS
60.12
b
45.70
b
42.97
a
49.44
b
7.31
c
7.87
c
6SS
62.33
b
44.37
b
42.16
a
48.49
b
8.75
d
8.93
d
Note: Each value is a mean of 6 replicates. For each parameter, means with the same letter(s) [in superscript] in the same column are not
significantly different at P≥0.05 (Turkey HSD). CSS=deionized water sprays (control), 2SS=two salt sprays per week, 4SS=four salt
sprays per week, 6SS=six salt sprays per week
higher total ion uptake (Table 4) and percentage ash
content (Figure 1). Na
+
accumulation inhibited K
+
uptake in the shoot leading to higher Na: K ratio in the
leaf and stem (Table 4). In the root however, air-borne
salt led to a decrease in Ca
2+
, Mg
2+
and Fe
2+
, and an
increase in Na
+
and K
+
content, none of the nutrients
and their derivatives differ significantly from the control
(Table 4).
Salt spray treatment reduced the stomata density (Figure 2)
and number of stomata per leaf by as much as 69.23%
and 80.79% respectively at the highest level of
application (Table 5). The necrotic leaf area increased
while the visual ratings decreased with increasing level
of air-borne salinity, but differed significant from the
control at 6SS (Table 5).
2 Discussion
The soil used for planting was a sandy soil with low
nutrient. Beach plants grow naturally in very sandy soil
that tends to be nutrient deficient, and because the soil is
porous, leaching rate is high and salt does not accumulate