Assessment of Salt Stress Tolerance of Evergreen Ferns

Abstract

Ferns are an essential group of forest plants, however their salt tolerance is poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 50 or 100 mM sodium chloride (NaCl) on the growth, biomass, and ionic potassium (K + ), calcium (Ca 2+ ) and sodium (Na + ) concentrations in the fronds of evergreen ferns: Cyrtomium fortunei var. clivicola, Polystichum setiferum, and Polystichum setiferum 'Proliferum'. Visual quality of the plants immediately after the stress application and after the overwintering period was also carried out. Salinity resulted in the relative chlorophyll content reduction with exposure to increasing NaCl for all ferns. In C. fortunei var. clivicola and P. setiferum, salt stress led to a decrease in plant height, frond length, and weight of the above-ground part of plants as well as visual quality. For P. setiferum 'Proliferum' there was not a significant reduction in fresh and dry weight. Moreover, P. setiferum 'Proliferum' grown under salt stress maintained stable K + concentrations in the fronds and high aesthetic appearance both immediately after the stress factor and after several months. In conclusion, P. setiferum 'Proliferum' was relatively salt-tolerant and Cyrtomium fortunei var. clivicola and P. setiferum were sensitive to soil salinity.