PHYSIOLOGICAL STUDIES ON SALINITY TOLERANCE OF PERSIMMON SEEDLINGS

Abstract

The present investigation was under taken duri1ig the two successive seasons of 1999 and 2000 at the experimental form in the Horticulture Research Station at EL-Kanater, Kalyubeia Governoate. This work aimed mainly to investigate the effect of different . salinity concentrations, sodium adsorption ratio and chloride level (CL:S04 ratio) in irrigation water on some vegetative growth measurements, leaf pigments content and leaf and root mineral conterit of Trabols persimmon rootstock seedlings. 011e year old uniform and healthy seedlings of Trabols persimmon rootstock were the plant material used in this investigation. In the first week of February during both seasons seedling were transplanted individually each in clay pot 30 em in diameter that previously had filled with specific weight of clay •and sand at equal proportion (by volume). Then irrigation was

carried out twice weakly by 3,14 liter tap water per each pot until the first week of June, whereas irrigation with diffyrent investigated saline solution was started during both seasons of study. Saline irrigation water was prepared by mixing chloride saIts ot- Na+, T1<.+ an d ca++ anc:1 su IpIwte sa Its ofNa+, K+ an d Mg++,

and dissolved in tap water to give such investigated saline solutions were representative . of the different twelve combinations between three levels of saline solution (2000, 4000 and 6000ppm), two sodium adsorption ratio (3 and 6) and two ratio of chloride (low and high CL:S04 ratio), besides irrigation with tap water as a control treatment.