Evaluation of subtropical ornamental trees for reclaiming salinity affected lands

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the tolerance of 1-year-old seedlings of ten subtropical ornamental tree species against a range of salinity levels of NaCl from May 2015 to October 2015. The levels were further enhanced from November to April 2017 as 100% survival was observed in the initial concentrations for all species. The seedlings were grown during the first week of April 2015 in 10″ earthen pots containing soil: farmyard manure (2:1), irrigated with tap water for 1 month followed by saline irrigation in May by maintaining electrical conductivity at 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 2.25, and 3.00 dS/m for 30, 40, 50, 60, 90, and 120 mM NaCl. Every 3 months, heights, relative leaf water content, and percent survival were determined; total soluble sugars of the upper leaves of each tree were quantified. All species exhibited consistent early growth and survival when supplied with 30, 40, 50 and 60 mM of NaCl. Koelreutaria paniculata, Ficus benjamina, Putranjiva roxburghii, Bauhinia purpurea and Millettia ovalifolia were sensitive to elevated salinity levels and did not survive at the highest salt concentrations of 90 and 120 mM.

Keywords

Saline irrigation / Ornamental trees / Relative leaf water content / Survival / Osmolytes

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