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

Abstract

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.