Growth Responses of Desert Saltgrass under Salt Stress

Abstract

Saltgrass (Distichlis spicata), clonal accession WA-12, collected from Wilcox, Arizona was studied in a greenhouse to evaluate its growth responses in terms of shoot and root lengths, shoot fresh weight, and shoot and root dry weights under control and salt (sodium chloride) stress conditions. Plants were grown under control (no salt) and three levels of salt stress (100, 200, and 400mM NaCl equivalent to 6250, 12500, and 25,000 g Lᴮ¹ sodium chloride, respectively), using Hoagland solution in a hydroponics system. Plant shoots (clippings) were harvested weekly, oven dried at 60 °C, and dry weights recorded. At each harvest, both shoot and root lengths were measured and recorded. At the last harvest, plant roots were also harvested, oven dried, and dry weights were determined and recorded. The results show that the shoot and root lengths decreased with increasing the salinity levels, however, both shoot fresh and dry weights significantly increased at 200mM NaCl salinity compared with the control or the 400mM NaCl level. Root dry weights at both 200mM and 400mM NaCl salinity levels were significantly higher than the control.