Influence of salinity on the growth of Rangpur lime rootstock seedlings. (41)

Abstract

Soil maintained at salinity levels of 3.0 and 4.5 dS m-1 lead to severe defoliation, leaf rolling, and death of Rangpur lime rootstock seedlings. Plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf size, root length, and shoot:root ratio declined with increasing levels of salinity because of the accumulation of sodium and chloride ions in the leaf. The soils maintained up to 1.5 dS m-1 did not have any reductions in growth, but were on par with the control (0.8 dS m-1) plants suggesting 1.5 dS m-1 as the upper limit for the strains without any harmful effects to the plants. Of the strains, Rangpur lime Florida 8747 and Rangpur lime L-2 bad better resistance to high salinity as indicated by plant height, stem diameter, and shoot:root ratio, with less accumulation of sodium and chloride ions in the leaf. The variety Abohar was highly susceptible and was characterized by maximum plant mortality and leaf injury with least growth.