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Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6" x 9" black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. ProQuest Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. SODIUM CHLORIDE TOLERANCE OF SELECTED HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS A N D THE EFFECTS OF SODIUM CHLORIDE O N OSM OTIC ADJUSTMENT A N D IO NIC UPTAKE IN THREE SPECIES OF HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Laura M. Deeter, B.S. The Ohio State University 2002 Dissertation Committee: Approved by D r. Steven M. Still, Advisor Dr. Daniel Struve Dr. T. Davis Sydnor Advisor Dr. Pablo Jourdan Horticulture and Crop Science Graduate Program Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number 3039464 Copyright 2001 by Deeter, Laura Michelle All rights reserved. _ ___ _ ® UMI UMI Microform 3039464 Copyright 2002 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Copyright by Laura Deeter 2001 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. “From the experiments that I have tried using salt as a garden manure, I am fully prepared to bear testimony to its usefulness...the application of salt and its utility as a manure was yet imperfectly understood. It is a matter of uncertainty whether it acts directly as a manure or as a kind of spice or seasoning, thereby rendering the soil a more palatable food for plants." (Mr. Thomas Hogg, quoted by Cuthbert Johnson, Esq. “Observations of the Employment of Salt” in Ladies Home Journal Pp. 39 circa 1900.) Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT An increasing number of perennial species are being utilized in public areas. The freeway system is including a greater number of perennials in beds as a part of highway beautification projects. These plants are often subject to extreme stresses: pollution, lack of maintenance, lack of irrigation, and highway deicing chemicals, specifically sodium chloride. In order to ensure these plantings are in place fo r several seasons, a greater understanding of stress, stress tolerances and plant responses to stress is required. Sodium chloride is still the most-used deicing chemical in northern parts of North America. Consumer demand for safe, snow and ice-free roads has led to large quantities of sodium chloride spread over the freeway system for many years. There are many advantages to using sodium chloride. It is safe to handle, inexpensive, easy to store, and highly effective over a wide range o f conditions. It does however, have several disadvantages. It is corrosive and ineffective below -9° C. It causes millions of dollars in damage ever/ year to roads, cars, and bridges. The dollar amount for environmental damage is more elusive to measure, but in terms o f damage to groundwater, soil systems and roadway plantings sodium chloride is highly detrimental. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Thirty-eight species of plants were screened for tolerance to sodium chloride solutions applied to the growing medium. Five were able to grow under the highest salt level applied: Armeria maritima ‘Splendens’, Calamagrostis xacutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, Leymus arenarius (formerly Etymus glauca), Pennisetum alopecuroides, and Dianthus xallwoodii ‘Helen’. From the list developed in screening trials, three species of varying tolerance were selected and planted into a field plot at the OSU Waterman farm in Columbus, O H . Armeria maritima ‘Splendens’, Leucanthemum xsuperbum ‘Becky’, and Monarda didyma ‘Blue Stocking’ were chosen in order to determine if results from experiments done in the greenhouse accurately predicted dormant survivability. During the 1999 - 2000 w inter season NaCI in the form of rock salt was applied with a rotary spreader. Plant height, visual conditions, and shoot dry weight w ere recorded in the spring. Results from the field study indicate that fo r these three species, results from a greenhouse study could be used to predict salt tolerance levels. These same three species were then grown in IL containers in a growth chamber. Salt solution (0.25N NaCI) was applied to half the plants over the course of four weeks. During this time, height, width, number o f leaves, and visual symptoms were recorded. Armeria was highly salt tolerant. There were no symptoms, and neither height nor width changed. Leucanthemum showed a wide range of visual symptoms, including marginal necrosis, complete leaf death, death o f the apical meristem, wilting o f foliage, change in foliage color and death. The leaves ofMonarda developed marginal necrosis, which rapidly progressed until the entire leaf abscised. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Rapid plant death occurred in all Monarda replications. In addition to the visual symptoms, osmotic potential and Na*. Cl', K*, and Ca2+ concentrations were measured. Armeria was able to lower its osmotic potential during the course of the experiment. This species also took up large quantities of Na+, which was found in the leaf tissue. Finally, Armeria was able to continue uptake of K+ in the presence of Na*. as there was little change in the amount of K* found in leaf tissue. Sodium was not found to any great degree in eitherLeucanthemum o r in Monarda. Neither of the latter tw o species was able to continue K* uptake under salt stress. Calcium levels remained unaffected in all three species. N either Leucanthemum nor Monarda was able to lower osmotic potential. Based upon the results of this study, it is likely these tw o species were killed due to osmotic problems and not through specific ionic effects. Soil samples were also collected from the field plot and analyzed for changes in texture, bulk density, electrical conductivity, and concentrations of Na+, K* and Ca2+. There w ere no statistical changes in either bulk density or soil texture. The general trend for bulk density however, was for it to increase as salt concentration increased. Soil samples taken in the high salt plots showed higher levels o f Na*. and decreased levels o f both K* and Ca2*. Electrical conductivity was also greater in the salt-affected areas than in control plots. iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Dedicated James, Caitlyn and Sean Deeter v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my dissertation committee for all the help they have provided during the course of this degree. I would especially like to thank Dr. Steven Still for serving as my advisor and for providing me with opportunities I would not have had otherwise. Dr. Still, The Anderson’s and the P.LA.N.T. Seminar also need special thanks fo r making this all possible w ith funding. T o D r. Jim Metzger and D r. Don Eckert for providing lab equipment. To Dr. McMahon for offering her knowledge on experimental design. To D r. Steve St. Martin fo r helping me apply statistics to this research. To Liz Hunt, Jim Vent, and Mark Schmittgen for helping with the greenhouse and field studies in many ways. There were several nurseries that provided plants. George Pealer, owner of Millcreek Nurseries, and his employees w ere able to provide many species of plants. Harlan Hamernik of Bluebird Nurseries donated plants ail winter long for use in the growth chamber. Springbrook Nurseries also donated plants for use in the greenhouse experiments. Of all my friends here in graduate school there are several who provided special assistance in some manner. Thanks to D r. Denise Adams fo r her patience, advice and assistance. Nicole Cavender fo r help rating, her invaluable advice, and fo r v i Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. listening to me when I needed it most. To Wendy Gagliano, who provided much needed assistance in many classes and with the soil analysis. To Laura Burchfield who has become my dear friend. To my family, James, Caitlyn and Sean who have had to put up with me during the trying times when I wanted to quit and for encouraging me not to.