A comparative study on the response of Calotropis procera (Ait.)‎ Ait. (sadom apple)‎ to a combined treatments of drought and salinity

Abstract EN

For the well known importance of Calotropis procera (Ait.) Ait., the present work is therefore carried out to test the effect of drought and salinity on the germination, the vegetative growth of Calotropis procera as well as the concentrations of Ca, Mg, K, Na and Cl.

Different levels of soil moisture treatments were used (100, 75, 50, 25, 10 and 5%) in the presence or absence of salinity treatment (48 mmole).

The low soil moisture treatments affected leaf area and the root length especially in the presence of salinity, but the plant height and width were the least affected of all plant dimensions.

The seedlings survived in a very low soil moisture contents (5% and 10%) in the presence and absence of salinity.

The root weights and the plant water content had been affected by soil water deficit.

Elements accumulation behavior by the root has been shown.

The results suggested a drought tolerance in this plant