|
Pak. J. Bot., 41(6): 3053-3063, 2009. |
Back to Contents | ||||
|
|
Updated: 14-01-10 | ||||
|
INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF NACL INDUCED SALINITY, CALCIUM AND POTASSIUM ON PHYSIOMORPHOLOGICAL TRAITS OF SORGHUM (SORGHUM BICOLOR L.)
MUHAMMAD HASSAN SHARIAT JAFARI1, MOHAMMAD KAFI1* AND ALIREZA ASTARAIE2
Abstract: The interactive effects of salinity,
calcium and potassium on physiomorphological traits of sorghum (Sorghum
biclolor L.) were studied in a green-house experiment. Treatments
included 4 levels of NaCl (0, 80, 160, and 240 mM NaCl), 2 levels
of CaCl2 (0 and 20 mM), and 2 levels of KCl (0 and 20
mM). Salinity substantially reduced the plant growth as reflected
by a decrease in the plant height, shoot and root weight, and percent of
mortality and delay in the reproductive stage, but the relative water
content as well as CO2 assimilation rate and transpiration
rate were negatively affected only at severe salinity. Root/shoot weight
and leaf blade/total plant weight ratios were increased under saline
conditions, which led sorghum to tolerate in the presence of salinity.
Application of supplemental calcium resulted in partially restoring the
adverse effects of high salinity on plant growth, whilst application of
additional potassium had a negative interaction on plant growth
characteristics. Combined application of Ca2+ and K+
also resulted into an ameliorative effect on sorghum growth and
morphological traits under salinity stress. 1Department of Agronomy, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran 2Department of Soil Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. *Correspondence author E-mail: m.kafi@um.ac.ir; Phone: 098 915 306 6269 |
|||||
|
|
|||||
| Back to Contents |
|
Back to Contents | |||
|
|
|||||