Response of tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) salt stressed plants to external application of calcium and potassium

Abstract

This study focused on the improving effect of external application of calcium and potassium on growth, ions and organic solutes accumulation in tossa jute plants grown under salt stress. Young plants were subjected in pots to ten treatments including the control without NaCl, 120 mM NaCl and a combination of 120 mM NaCl and an addition of 40 or 60 mM CaSO 4 , CaCl 2, K 2 SO 4 or KNO 3 . Plant growth, sodium, potassium, proline and soluble sugars contents were determined after two weeks. Results revealed that only the external application of CaSO 4 and K 2 SO 4 at 40 mM significantly improved the growth reduction induced by NaCl followed by CaCl 2 ; whereas at 60 mM, only CaSO 4 induced similar changes in plant growth. Only, the exogenous application of calcium at 40 mM induced a significant decrease (p<0.05) in the Na + content and a significant increase (p<0.001) of the K + /Na + ratio of leaves in comparison with salt stressed plants, while the two forms of calcium and K 2 SO 4 induced a significant increase (p=0.05) in the K + content. CaSO 4 had the best improving effects on plants growth under salt stress, followed by K 2 SO 4 and CaCl 2 at 40 mM. This improving effect is due to a better exclusion of Na + from the leaves, the maintenance of a high ionic selectivity ratio K/Na and/or a better accumulation of K + .

Effect of NaCl Salt Stress on Growth, Ions and Organic Solutes Contents in a Local Cultivar Kpinman of African Eggplant (Solanum macrocarpon L) in the Republic of Benin

“…The same tendency was reported in leaves of African basil plants [13]. However, salt stress effect generally resulted in a reduction in K + content as reported in several vegetable species such as sweet basil [24], eggplant [25] ; okra [26,27] ; African basil [13] ; tomato [14] and tossa jute [28].…”