Long term alkaline, saline and mixed saline-alkaline stresses induce different changes in morfo-anatomical and physiological traits of Lotus tenuis shoots.

PAZ ROSALIA CRISTINA; REINOSO, HERMINDA; ESPASANDIN FABIANA DANIELA; GONZÁLEZ ANTIVILO, FRANCISCO ALBERTO; SANSBERRO, PEDRO; ROCCO, RUBEN ANIBAL; RUIZ, OSCAR

PLANT BIOLOGY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2014 vol. 16 p. 1042 - 1049

1435-8603

Saline, alkaline and mixed, saline-alkaline conditions frequently co-occur in soil. In this work, we compared these sources of plant stresses on Lotus tenuis (Waldst. et Kit. ex Willd, syn L. glaber) plants, regarding their effects on shoot growth, and leaf and stem anatomy. In addition, we aimed at gaining insight on the plant physiological status of L. tenuis plants grown under the three different stress conditions. We performed pot experiments with four treatments, control without salt addition and three stress conditions?neutral, alkaline, and mixed salt?alkaline?to determine their effects on shoot growth and several morpho-anatomical traits. Neutral and alkaline salts produced a similar level of growth inhibition on L. tenuis shoots, whereas their mixture exacerbated their detrimental effects. On other hand, common and distinct effects of the three stresses on L. tenuis shoot growth and anatomy were evidenced, according to the analyzed parameters. Our results showed that none of the analyzed parameters categorically differentiated the three types of stress from each other. However, NaCl and NaHCO3-derived stresses could be discriminated by different extents and/or directions of changes in some of the anatomical traits, such as the ostiolar opening area or the presence or absence of leaf palisade mesophyll.