Sodium toxicity and cation imbalance in dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Abstract

SummaryLeaf burn and gradual death were the characteristic symptoms of injury in P. vulgaris sown on a sodic soil. Plant growth, total leaf area per plant, number of stomata and epidermal cells per unit leaf area, and relative water content were drastically reduced in injured plants; these were associated with large sodium accumulation in the shoot resulting in cation imbalance.

Effect of sowing date and soil type on plant survival and grain yield of chick peas (Cicer arietinum L.)

“…Plant loss at all sowing dates was highly correlated with daily mean maximum air temperature during the first 4 weeks of plant growth. Plant tissue analysis also revealed significant accumulations of sodium in shoots and reductions in potassium in the leaves with the onset of injury and plant death, similar to that reported for dry beans (Ishag & Ayoub, 1974). In India chick-pea plant loss (5-10%) was attributed to a wilt suspected to be caused by Fusarium orthoceras var.…”

“…The relatively high sodium in the soil when coupled with adverse environmental conditions such as high air temperatures, low relative humidity and consequently high evaporation rates could be injurious to such salt-sensitive plants. Injurious ionic accumulations in the shoots were found to be enhanced by high temperatures (Wallace, 1968;Ayoub & Ishag, 1974), and conditions conducive to high evaporation rates were found to promote high tensions in the root vicinity (Sinha & Singh, 1974) which might result in sudden plant death due to osmotic shocks.…”

Effect of some soil amendments on sodium uptake and translocation in dry beans (P. vulgaris L.) in relation to sodium toxicity

“…The general pattern of sodium concentration in the tissues was in the order of roots > stems > leaves, similar to what has been found before (Wallace & Hemaidan, 1963;Pearson, 1967;Ayoub, 1974;Ayoub & Ishag, 1974). The Na transport to the tops was small at low external concentrations, but increased progressively as the external concentration of Na was increased ( Fig.…”

“…In a previous study (Ayoub & Ishag, 1974) with the same variety of beans high temperature coupled with low humidity resulted in injurious translocation of sodium from the roots to shoots. The straw mulch results, therefore, may be worthy of attention from a practical point of view since its effects on the soil are twofold, viz.…”

“…Sodium is known to be readily accumulated in roots but poorly translocated to the shoots of beans. However, injurious sodium translocations to shoots have been reported (Wallace & Hemaidan, 1963;Pearson, 1967;Wallace, 1968;; and at Hudeiba Research Station, Sudan, total loss of the bean crop has been found to be associated with large sodium accumulation in the shoots (Ayoub & Ishag, 1974).…”