PJB-2016-3
HALOPHYTIC COMPANION PLANTS IMPROVE GROWTH AND PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF TOMATO PLANTS GROWN UNDER SALINITY
SEMA KARAKAS1, MEHMET ALI CULLU1, CENGIZ KAYA1* AND MURAT DIKILITAS2
Abstract
Salinity becomes a major concern when soil salt concentration becomes excessive in growth medium. Halophytes are capable of accumulating high concentrations of NaCl in their tissues, thus using halophytic plants in crop rotations or even in mixed cropping systems may be a promising management practices to mitigate salt stress related yield loses. Salinity induced yield losses and related physiological parameters on tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. SC2121) grown with or without halophytic companion plants (Salsola soda L. and Portulaca oleracea L.) were investigated in pot experiment. Treatments consist of four soil type (collected from Harran plain-Turkey) with similar physical properties but varying in salinity level: electrical conductivity (EC): 0.9, 4.2, 7.2, and 14.1 dS m-1. The reduction in plant total dry weight was 24, 19, and 48% in soils with slight (4.2 dS m−1), moderate (7.2 dSm−1) and high (14.1 dS m−1) salinity as compared to non-saline soil (0.9 dS m-1), respectively. Leaf content of proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) enzyme activity increased with increasing level of salinity. In tomato plants grown in consociation with Salsola soda, salinity induced DM decrease was only 6, 12 and 28% in soils with slight, moderate and high salinity as compared to non-saline soil, respectively. However, when Portulaca oleracea used as companion plant, no significant change in biomass or fruit yield was observed. This study showed that mixed planting with Salsola soda in high saline soils may be an effective phyto-remediation technique that may secure yield formation and quality of tomato.
To Cite this article:
Download
