Physiological and growth responses of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) plants subjected to short-term salinity stress

Abstract

The gradual response of CAB-6P sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) plants to NaCl-induced salinity stress (60 mM NaCl) was investigated in a short-term hydroponic experiment, based on parameters relating to the growth, water relations, chlorophyll and mineral nutrition. The results showed that CAB-6P plants are very sensitive to salinity stress because their growth and leaf chlorophyll concentration were both affected negatively from the 3^rd and 5^th day, respectively, after imposing salinity stress. Since root growth was affected more negatively than shoot growth, the shoot to root ratio was significantly increased under saline conditions. The concentrations of Na in leaves and stem of NaCl-treated plants were much lower than those of roots (Na exclusion mechanism from the shoot). The opposite was observed about the Cl (Cl inclusion mechanism to leaves). The concentrations of other mineral elements (P, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn and Zn) were not changed at all due to salinity, apart from K whose concentrations in leaves and roots were significantly increased and decreased, respectively (K translocation to leaves). Salinity further reduced K/Na ratio in root and stem as well as leaf water and osmotic potentials, whereas leaves of control and NaCl-treated plants presented similar turgor potential and K/Na ratio. These data add very important information to our knowledge about the physiological events occur in sour cherry plants even after a short-term exposure to salinity.