ISHS Acta Horticulturae 573: International Symposium on Techniques to Control Salination for Horticultural Productivity
SALT REMOVAL POTENTIAL OF BARLEY, ALFALFA, ATRIPLEX PATULA AND A. PROSTRATA |
| Authors: | J. Cuartero, J.M. Pulido, M.L. Gómez-Guillamón, M. Álvarez |
| Keywords: | Bioremediation, maximum salt uptake, potential productivity, Michaelis-Menten equation. |
| Abstract:
The salt removing capacity of barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Hassan), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv. Aragón), and two wild halophytic species from marshes, Atriplex patula and A. prostrata, were evaluated for their efficiency to remove salts from the growth medium. The study took place in hydroponics culture with half strength Hoagland nutrient solution. Zero, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mM NaCl were added to the nutrient solution of barley and alfalfa while Atriplex species received 0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 mM NaCl. At the end of the experiment, shoot fresh and dry weights and shoot Na concentration were measured. The comparison of salt removal potential (Fmax) was made in terms of mmol Na per kg dry weight per day and as mmol Na absorbed by plants per liter of water uptake per day. Atriplex patula and A. prostrata showed similar salt removal potential in terms of shoot dry weight (about 45 mmol Na kg-1 d-1), and barley had the highest Fmax (63 mmol Na kg-1 d-1). Alfalfa had much lower salt removal potential (25 mmol Na kg-1 d-1). Atriplex patula showed slightly higher salt removal potential in terms of water uptake (0.17 mmol l-1 d-1) than A. prostrata(0.15 mmol l-1 d-1); barley potential was similar to that of the Atriplex species (0.16 mmol l-1 d-1), and alfalfa showed the lowest potential (0.07 mmol l-1 d-1). The Km obtained showed the high adaptation of A. prostrata to saline conditions as a halophyte species and the moderate adaptation of barley to saline soils since its Km had a similar value to the Km obtained for A. patula. The NaCl removal rate followed the Michaelis-Menten type kinetics.The use of Fmax and Km allowed the comparison between quite different species in relatively simple experiments. Barley seems to be the species with high salt removal potential under typical Mediterranean conditions. | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
