The Efficiency of Physiological Markers for Screening Salt-Tolerant Stock (Matthiola incana L.) Cultivars

Abstract

Stock (Matthiola incana L.) is one of the most commercial cut-flowers in the world. To evaluate the efficiency of physiological markers for salt tolerance, 10 cultivars of stock were selected and their seedlings were irrigated with salt water (6 dS/m) from four true-leaf stage for six weeks. The dry weight of shoots and roots, and K⁺, Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ concentrations in shoots were evaluated in the study. Based on the results, dry weights of shoots and roots had positive correlations with K⁺/Na⁺ selectivity coefficient. This indicates that K⁺/Na⁺ ratio in shoots has a direct correlation with the amount of plant growth under salinity conditions. Also, a negative correlation was found between Ca²⁺ and K⁺ accumulation and dry weights of the shoots. There was a low Ca²⁺ to Na⁺ ratio in the shoots, which confirms the importance of the K⁺ accumulation rate in the shoots or the K⁺/Na⁺ selectivity coefficient, as the determinant factor of salt tolerance rate in stock. In conclusion, ‘Column Lilac Lavender’, ‘Column Lavender’ and ‘Column Cooper’ with the highest K⁺/Na⁺ ratio in shoots, were considered as the most tolerant, and ‘Column Mid-Blue’ and ‘Column Rose’ with the lowest K⁺/Na⁺ ratio, as the most sensitive cultivars to salinity. The physiological markers used in this study can be introduced for large-scale screening of salt-tolerant varieties of the stock.