Investigation of Salinity Stress and Potassium Levels on Morphophysiological Characteristics of Saffron

Abstract

2 A greenhouse research experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of salinity stress and potassium (K) fertilization on biomass accumulation of roots and shoot of saffron plants. Treatments were four levels salinity in the form of sodium chloride (NaCl; 3.4, 6.4, 9.4 and 12.4 dS m −1 ) and three levels of potassium (50, 100, and 150 % of Hoagland's nutrition solution base). Results indicated that higher levels of potassium significantly controlled the negative effects of NaCl on length and number of roots as well as fresh weight and number of leaves per plant. Increase in salinity and potassium levels caused a reduction in leaf water content, and enhancement in electrolyte leakage. It seems that in the presence of salinity increasing 50% extra potassium (Based onHoagland's nutrient solution) in the rhizosphere of saffron can improve damaging effects of NaCl up to 9.4 dS m −1 of soil solution.

Defining Optimal Strength of the Nutrient Solution for Soilless Cultivation of Saffron in the Mediterranean

“…Dastranj and Sepaskhah (2019) studied the effects of brackish irrigation water at four different levels of salinity in an open field in Iran, resulting in corms and saffron being negatively affected when the EC of the irrigation water was in the range of 2.0-3.0 dS•m −1 [30]. The combined effect of salinity and nutritional supply was studied in a greenhouse experiment where plants were grown on a sand bed [31] and fertigated with a standard Hoagland solution. Conversely, when the Hoagland fertigation solution was enriched with a factorial combination of sodium chloride and potassium, Avarseji et al (2013) found that by increasing the potassium salinity stress by 50% the symptoms induced by EC up to 9.4 dS•m −1 could be alleviated [31].…”

“…The combined effect of salinity and nutritional supply was studied in a greenhouse experiment where plants were grown on a sand bed [31] and fertigated with a standard Hoagland solution. Conversely, when the Hoagland fertigation solution was enriched with a factorial combination of sodium chloride and potassium, Avarseji et al (2013) found that by increasing the potassium salinity stress by 50% the symptoms induced by EC up to 9.4 dS•m −1 could be alleviated [31].…”