Germination, Growth, Photosynthesis, and Osmotic Adjustment of Tossa Jute (Corchorus Olitrius L.) Seeds Under Saline Irrigation
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Pol. J. Environ. Stud. Vol. 28, No. 2 (2019), 935-942 DOI: 10.15244/pjoes/85265 ONLINE PUBLICATION DATE: 2018-09-14 Original Research Germination, Growth, Photosynthesis, and Osmotic Adjustment of Tossa Jute (Corchorus olitrius L.) Seeds under Saline Irrigation Amira Racha Ben yakoub1, 2*, Samir Tlahig1, Ali Ferchichi3 1Arid and Oases Cropping Laboratory, Institute of Arid Lands (IRA), Médenine, Tunisia 2Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University Campus, El Manar, Tunisia 3National Institute of Agronomy, Mahrajène City, Tunis, Tunisia Received: 15 January 2018 Accepted: 12 February 2018 Abstract A field experiment focusing on the response of Tossa jute Corchorus( olitorius L.) to salt stress at germination and vegetative growth stages was held in the Institute of Arid Lands of Medenine, Tunisia. Results showed that germinating rate after 24 hrs exceeded 50% under salt levels between 0 and 5 g.l-1. Indeed, salt stress levels delayed the initiation process and decreased significantly kinetics and rate of germination, which were severely limited at 9 and 10 g.l-1 NaCl. After one month of growth, Tossa jute seedlings were subjected to salt treatments of 2, 4, 6, and 8 g.l-1 NaCl. After four weeks of stress in pots, morphological responses were reflected by a significant decrease in parameters of growth and yield when salinity reached 8 g.l-1. Indeed, a reduction in the photosynthetic gaseous exchange and a stomata resistance were notified for seedlings subjected to 6 and 8 g.l-1 NaCl treatments. However, in order to tolerate the highest levels of salt, Tossa jute seedlings make different strategies by reducing the size of leaves, which increases their accumulation of osmolytes such as proline (3.1 mg.g-1 DM) and soluble sugars (13.22 µg.g-1 FM) to permitting the osmotic adjustment. Keywords: Corchorus olitorius, salinity, germination, growth, yield Introduction for fiber fabrication and mucilaginous leaves that are consumed for food as ‘Mloukiya’ in Arabic countries, Tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) is an annual where they are consumed either fresh or dried [1]. It vegetable crop belonging to the Tiliaceae family and is an important green leafy vegetable in many tropical Corchorus genus. This annual dicotyledonous species areas, including Egypt, Sudan, India, Bangladesh, and originated in Africa and was cultivated to provide bark the Caribbean, in tropical Asia such as the Philippines and Malaysia, and in North Africa and the Middle East, including Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Jordon, Tunisia, Turkey, and Cyprus [2]. The distribution of Tossa jute in *e-mail: [email protected] 936 yakoub A.R.B., et al. arid-regions is probably attributed to its tolerance to some bleach 50% (v/v) for 3 min were allowed to germinate environmental conditions such as water and soil salinity in a growth chamber at 25ºC. For this, 20 viable seeds [3]. However, it has been noted that the production quality were distributed into Petri dishes; lined a double filter of this economical crop is affected by several abiotic paper wetted each with 0.5 ml of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, -1 factors, e.g., salinity and drought stress [4]. Salt stress is 8, 9, and 10 g.l NaCl solutions (T0, T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, considered one of the main limiting factors affecting plant T6, T7, T8, T9, and T10, respectively ). During 14 days the productivity worldwide and influences almost all aspects numbers of germinated seeds were counted daily and five of plant biology. The effects of salinity on plant growth replications for each treatment were applied. A seed was and yield are complex, and may result from a combination considered to have germinated when its radical emerged of toxic, nutritional, and osmotic factors [5]. Unfavorable [6]. effects of salinity have been reported by Shila et al. [6], The measured parameters are: who observed that the amplification in the concentration – Final germination capacity: the percentage of seeds of salt harmfully affected seed germination and caused a that germinate under well-defined conditions. decrease in germinability and delayed rate of germination – Germination kinetics: the time taken by the of sunflower. Salinization can also influence the growth germination of 50% of seeds and the number of days and almost every aspect of the physiology of plants and to start germination (L: delay of the initiation of significantly reduce plant production 7[ ]. Due to this germination). situation, increasing tolerance to salt stress in crop plants is necessary in order to increase yield [4]. The tolerance Experiment 2 of plants to salt condition is a complex phenomenon that implies specific morphological and developmental Effect of Salt Irrigation Treatments mechanisms with physiological and biochemical on Growth and yield change [8]. In this situation of stress, the responses differ between plants, which can react by a reduction Growth condition in leaf size, the increase of leaf thickness and stomatal Before planting, seeds were treated with sulphuric length and develop adaptation, i.e., succulence, osmotic acid. The sterilized seeds with bleach 50% (v/v) for adjustment, salt glands, and ionic compartmentation to 5 min were allowed to germinate at 25ºC in peat and dilute or counter-balance the effect of hypersalinisation watered every three days. Transplanting was undertaken [4,7]. For clarifying and improving the mechanism of when the seedling reached the three-leaf stage; each salt tolerance, it is necessary to identify the physiological single seedling was placed in a 12 cm diameter plastic and biochemical response to salinity. Yet in Tunisia, the pot perforated at the bottom to enhance drainage without comportment of C. olitorius to salinity condition has not depleting soil quality, and filled with a uniform soil- been assessed well. Therefore, this study aimed to test salt peat mixture in 2/3:1/3. Plants were irrigated two times tolerance in Tossa jute and the threshold level of tolerance weekly and grown in a greenhouse (25ºC and natural at germination and vegetative growth stages in order to lighting photoperiod of 10 hours). identify the physiological and agro-morphological traits affected by this abiotic stress. Salinity treatments -1 Four salt (NaCl) treatments (T0: 2 g.l (control), -1 -1 -1 T1: 4 g.l , T2: 6 g.l and T3: 8 g.l ) were applied since Materials and Methods the fourth week following the seedlings emergence four weeks after emergence. Plant Material Salt concentrations were chosen referring to the concentrations of the irrigation waters in southern Seeds of C. olitorius collected from Gabes oasis in Tunisia, which differs among regions. southeastern Tunisia (33.50N, 10.06 E, 16m a.s.1) were used in these experiments. The trial was carried out from Experimental design June to August (year) in the Arid and Oases Cropping Individual plants presenting homogeneous Laboratory, Institute of Arid Lands (IRA), Medenine, development and size were selected for this trial. The Tunisia. experiment was arranged in four lines of completely random design (CRD), with eight replicates of each Experiment 1 treatment. An additional number of pots were used for possible replacement on failure. Germinating Tossa Jute Seeds under Saline Conditions Assessed parameters For the following measurements, eight samples per Before germination, seeds placed on 2 layers of filter treatment obtained from the youngest fully expanded paper in Petri dishes were soaked in water at 100ºC with leaves after 30 days of the trial were evaluated regarding sulphuric acid for 5 min and then they were repeatedly their: washed with distilled water. The sterilized seeds with Germination, Growth, Photosynthesis... 937 – Parameters of growth days for T5 treatments. However, from the application of During the experimental period, eight agro-morpho- T6 we marked a significant reduction in speed and rate logical traits were assessed. For each single seedling, germination that was severely limited at 9 and 10 g.l-1 evaluations concerned plant height (cm), the number (Fig. 1; P<0.05). Indeed, after 2 weeks of salt treatment of ramifications/plants, the number of leaves/plants applications, the final percentage of germination 2 (counted), leaf area (cm ), the number of pods/plants decreased by 47, 60, 69, and 83% under T7, T8, T9, and (counted), lengths of pods (cm), and the number of T10 compared to control treatment. The increase in seeds/pods (counted). During the last day of the ex- NaCl concentrations prolonged the lag time before the periment, eight mature leaves per treatment were germination (L) and delayed the germination rate t (50) gathered to measure leaf area (cm2), which was ob- (Fig. 1; P<0.05). L was prolonged from one to three days tained by image processing using Mesuruim soft- for treatments T9 and T10 compared to other salt regimes. ware. At the end of the experiment, destructives anal- The delay of germination prolonged with increasing salt yses were done by harvesting the plants according to concentrations. However, the t (50) was delayed for one treatment. Samples collected were labeled and taken day for the treatments between T0 and T5 to two days for to the laboratory for data collection. Leaf fresh matter T6 and eight days for T7. Above T7, the germination rate and total fresh matter were weighed. Samples were is less than 50%. dried in an oven at 80ºC, and after 48 h the leaf dry weigh per plant (g) was determined using a precision Effect of Salt Irrigation Treatment balance. on Morphological Parameters – Gas exchange measurements Before harvesting, photosynthetic traits were Vegetative Growth measured in situ on mature fully sun-exposed leaves during the late morning (10:00-11:00) with an Lci The effect of salinity regimes on growth portable measurement device of photosynthesis. performances of C. olitorius was assessed during Light saturated net photosynthetic rate (A), stomatal this trial.