Performance of purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) as a salt-removing crop

Specific plants can remove salts from the soil and contribute to saline remediation in orchard intercropping. Determining the level of highest salinity that a salt-removing crop can withstand without reducing its yield is important for management. It is also important to know the critical hazardous level of saline irrigation water for the fruit trees. The objective of this study was to investigate the salt-removing capacity of purslane by studying different stress criteria and by tracking its salt removal from germination to harvest. Therefore, a pot experiment was performed by enhanced salinity levels. The results showed that purslane could cumulatively remove considerable amounts of salt from the soil if practical to cultivate as an intercrop all year round. In this regard, 6.5 dS m-1 can be concluded as the reasonable salinity level for the purslane managed to be intercropped in fruit orchards. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.ERBIC18CT 980266The research work was partially supported by the Inco-DC Programme of the Commission of the European Communities, contract number: ERBIC18CT 980266. -

Alleviation of salinity stress by using potassium fertilization in satsuma mandarin trees budded on two different rootstocks

26th International Horticultural Congress -- AUG 11-17, 2002 -- TORONTO, CANADAWOS: 000189406500031Several techniques are used to alleviate salinity stress. Rootstock and fertilization receive special attention among these techniques. For this reason, a trial was established with Satsuma mandarin (cv. Owari) nursery trees budded onto Trifoliate Orange (P. trifoliata) and Troyer Citrange. Irrigation was applied at five levels of saline water and at three levels of potassium. Response measurement included photosynthesis, transpiration and water use efficiency. Water use efficiency was determined as the ratio of photosynthesis/transpiration per unit leaf area. Canopy growth modelling and leaf area index (LAI) of the plants were measured and whole plant gas exchange capacity was investigated. Irrigation with saline water ranging between 0.65 to 6.5 dS/m reduce the photosynthetic capacity per unit area as well as further limiting vegetative growth of the whole tree. LAI increases with 100 g K2O application but high levels of K2O (200 g per tree) caused decreases with an exception of non-saline control treatments on both rootstocks.Canadian Soc Hort Sci, Int Soc Hort Sci, Univ Guelp