Morpho-physiological responses of Euphrates Poplar (Populus euphratica Oliv.) seedlings to salinity stress in greenhouse conditions

Abstract

This study was conducted in order to Morpho-physiological assessment of salt stress on Euphrates poplar (Populus euphratica Oliv.) seedlings in the greenhouse. Annual stems of Euphrates poplar were collected from Masoumieh desert rangelands (Qom) and were planted in pots containing homogenous mixture of sand, gravel and farm soil. Salinity stress was applied using different levels of NaCl in four levels of 50, 100, 200 and 400 mM and control, with two times a week and for two months with irrigation water. The results showed that salinity stress of 400 mM NaCl causes full dehydration of Euphrates poplar seedlings and this amount of salt tolerance was out of plant tolerance. Also salinity of 50 mM NaCl on the viability and survival traits and characteristics, including growth and vitality, height, diameter, biomass of leaves, stems and roots showed no significant difference with control treatments. Higher salinity levels in some of the characteristics and attributes of viability, vitality and the height and diameter of seedlings in different treatments showed significant difference. Also the amount of accumulation of some elements such as chloride, magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium and phosphorus, had significant differences (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05) with control treatment. Overall, our results represent that Populus euphratica is a moderate halophyte which could be suggested to reclamation of saline lands with high water table.

Keywords

• cutting
• Morpho-physiological traits
• Qom
• viability