ISSN:
1871-4528
Keywords:
growth parameters
;
K+/Na+ ratio
;
Solanum tuberosum L.
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Summary Increased potassium (K) fertilization of saline soils has been implicated in alleviating salt stress in plants. We examined whether varying K concentrations in Murashige & Skoog (MS: 1962) basal medium could affect salt (NaCl) stress in micropropagated potatoes. Plantlets of cvs Sierra and Russet Burbank were evaluated after 1 month of growth in a medium containing 0. 40, or 80 mM NaCl and 6,20, or 30 mMK. The medium K was adjusted using KNO3 while total nitrogen was kept constant using NH4NO3. Growth parameters were less affected in Sierra than Russet Burbank, and roots were less affected than shoots, as the medium salinity increased. Tissue Na levels were greater when the medium K was 6 mM compared with 20 mM MS control. The medium K concentration 50% greater than MS control did not promote growth and did not limit tissue Na levels. While this should be confirmed by field assessment, our results suggest that while K deficiency promotes salt damage, its addition beyond the usual fertilizer recommendations is not beneficial in alleviating salinity stress.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02358392
Permalink
