ISHS Acta Horticulturae 412: I International Symposium on Solanacea for Fresh Market
GAS EXCHANGES, WATER RELATIONS AND GROWTH OF EGGPLANT (SOLANUM MELONGENA L.) AS AFFECTED BY SALINITY OF IRRIGATION WATER |
| Authors: | S. De Pascale, G. Barbeiri, M.I. Sifola, C. Ruggiero, . |
| Keywords: | NaC1, leaf growth, root growth, water potentials, photosynthesis |
| Abstract:
Since 1988 a study was carried out to evaluate the long-term effects of increasing salinity (0%; 0.5 and 1% of NaC1) on a clay-loam soil grown vegetable crops. In 1993 the effects of water salinity on photosynthesis, leaf and root water status and plant growth were studied on eggplant. The 1% salt concentration reduced the photosynthesis rate by 52% as compared to the control and this decline was associated both to leaf stomatal conductance and to inhibition at chloroplast level, as intercellular CO2 was higher in the leaves of plants irrigated with 1% salt. Total water potential showed a more pronounced decrease as related to the highest water salinity level in the leaves (-1.42 vs. -0.97 MPa of the control) than in the roots (-0.77 vs. 7.3 cm cm-3 in the 0–30 cm soil soil layer). Severe salinity stess reduced plant height by 30%, leaf area by 55% and leaf dry matter by 40% and the number of total (32%) and marketable (55%) fruits per plant as compared to the control. | |
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