Effect of calcium and potassium on amelioration of negative effects of salinity on some physiological characteristics Kochia (Kochia scoparia)

Kafi, Mohammad; Nabati, Jafar; Zare Mehrjerdi, Mohammad; Goldani, Morteza; Khaninejad, Saeed; Keshmiri, Ehsan; Norooziyan, Ali

doi:10.22077/escs.2013.124

Effect of calcium and potassium on amelioration of negative effects of salinity on some physiological characteristics Kochia (Kochia scoparia)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mohammad Kafi ¹

Jafar Nabati ²

Mohammad Zare Mehrjerdi ¹

Morteza Goldani ¹

Saeed Khaninejad ³

Ehsan Keshmiri ³

Ali Norooziyan ³

¹ Member of staff, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran

² Ph.D. in Crop Physiology

³ PhD student of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran

10.22077/escs.2013.124

Abstract

Increased need for salinity tolerant plants continues due to increased use of saline water for irrigation in arid and semiarid regions. Kochia, a halophyte, which may be provided a good source of forage for livestock by using saline water. In order to investigate the salinity effect on some physiological characteristics of kochia, an experiment was conducted with supply of K⁺ and Ca⁺² in green house and hydroponic condition. Two salinity levels including 20 dS m^-1 and 40 dS m^-1 and control (non saline water) and KCl (10mM), CaCl2 (10mM) and KCl with CaCl₂ (5 mM) using split plot design, based on RCBD allocated in main and sub plot with six replications respectively. The results showed that increasing salinity significantly decreased spad value, F'v, F'v/F'm, photosynthetic pigments, total phenol, relative water content, membrane stability index , DPPH - radical scavenging activities and total dry matter production. Calcium applied enhanced rates of photosynthesis, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, MSI, DPPH - radical scavenging activities and potassium applied enhanced RWC in salinity stress. Application of calcium with potassium reduces the effect of salinity on F'o, F'm, F'v, F'v/F'm, total phenol and total dry matter production. Correlation coefficients showed significant correlation between dry matter production and all traits except photosynthesis, chlorophyll a to b ratio and DPPH - radical scavenging activities. Generally based on this it is appear that results application of K⁺ with Ca⁺² alleviated effect of salinity and improved dry matter production of kochia.

Keywords

Photosynthesis

Chlorophyll a

Chlorophyll b

MSI

DPPH - radical scavenging activities