Evaluating Salinity Tolerance of Sheesham (Dalbargia sisso L.) Tree Seedlings

Abstract

In order to assess the influence of different salinity (0 (control), 2, 4, 8 and 12 (dS m^-1)) levels on the growth and development of sheesham tree seedlings, an open field pot experiment was conducted during 2013 at the Centre for Bio-saline Agriculture, Department of Soil Science, SAU, Tandojam. The results on height, stem girth, number of branches plant^-1 and fresh and dry leaf weights plant^-1 were recorded. Analysis of Na⁺ and K⁺ was done in the ash obtained from the leaves. The data showed that increasing salinity levels significantly decreased all the growth and development traits of seedlings. Compared to control, seedlings stressed with 2, 4, 8 and 12 EC (dS m^-1) salt solution showed 7, 14, 34 and 39% reduction in height; 10, 30, 89 and 95% reduction in weight of fresh leaves; 2, 25, 92 and 95% reduction in weight of dry leaves; 10, 41, 51 and 72% reduction in number of branches and 8, 10, 16 and 35% reduction in stem girth, respectively. The poor performance of seedlings under salt-stress condition was associated with more Na⁺ and less K⁺ contents of leaves. Compared to control, seedlings, grown in 2, 4, 8 and 12 EC (dS m^-1) treatments had 0.98, 30, 79 and 89% more Na⁺ and 21, 32, 37 and 51% lower K⁺ in leaves, hence they displayed lower K⁺/Na⁺ ratio. It is concluded from this study that Dalbargiasisso L. is a salt-sensitive trees species at initial growth stage, it should not be grown under saline conditions.

Keywords: Salinity, Seedlings, Stress, Growth and Ratio