Effect of NaCL concentrations in irrigation water on growth and antioxidant enzymes activities of Atriplex Canescens

Abstract EN

Atriplex canescens (fourwing saltbush), is an attractive plant for erosion control and reclamation of marginal lands due to its excellent adaptability.

A greenhouse pot experiment was carried out at the greenhouse of Environment and Bio-agriculture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt during 2015/2016 seasons, to study the effect of NaCl concentrations in irrigation water on growth, cations, anions and antioxidant enzymes activities of A.

canescens.

Three-months-old, uniform sized seedlings of A.

canescens were irrigated with solution containing 0, 150, 300, 450 and 600 mM NaCl for 3 months.

The results showed that, the addition of 150mM NaCl significantly increased fresh weight of A.

canescens plants compared to control plants.

Furthermore, the addition of both 300,450 and 600mM NaCl significantly reduced fresh weight of plant, compared with the control.

The higher concentrations of NaCl in irrigation water reduced the dry weight.

Additionally, the calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), and phosphorus (P3+), concentrations were decreased with increasing NaCl level.

However, sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl−) concentrations, and antioxidant enzymes activities were increased by increasing NaCl concentrations in irrigation water.