Differences in salt tolerance of some fruit species.
Hassan M. M., El-Azayem A. I. A.
Author Affiliation: Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum, Egypt.
Egyptian Journal of Horticulture 17 : 1-8
Abstract : In studies in 1986 and 1987, 6-month-old plants of 11 fruit species, growing in sand in containers, received nutrient solutions with or without 174 mM NaCl. Salinity tolerance was assessed as percentage survival without appearance of leaf wilting or necrosis. Based on the results, the species were ranked in the following order of increasing salt tolerance: apricot, peach, almond, mango, sour orange, apple, pear, grape, guava, olive and date palm. The salinity treatment increased Na+ and Cl- concentrations in leaves and roots of all species. In all species except date palm, Cl- was higher in the roots than in the leaves of treated plants. Species showing a high degree of salt tolerance had lower leaf Cl- concentrations than less tolerant species. The accumulation of Na+ and Cl- in date palm leaves may indicate the use of both ions for osmotic adjustment in vacuoles and their involvement in water balance.