Abstract

In literature, the parameters of salinity tolerance of the main cultivated species are known, but are missingfor many minor species such as wild rocket, whose cultivation in many areas of southern Italy affectedby salinity is growing. Therefore, a research has been carried out i) to evaluate the response to salinityin water use, water use efficiency, yield characteristics and morfological features, and ii) identify thesalinity tolerance parameters of two genotypes of wild rocket: Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC and D. muralis(L.) DC. The study was carried out in the spring of 2007 and 2008 in Policoro (MT), southern Italy, underunheated plastic greenhouse conditions. Wild rocket was sown in plastic pots containing 20 dm3 of soil.For each genotype, six soil salinity levels were compared, obtained by accurately mixing before sowingthe soil with 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.5 and 5.5 g dm-3 of NaCl + CaCl2 1:1 (on a weight basis). Irrigation wasperformed with fresh water having electrical conductivity of 0.5 dS m-1. In each year, 3 harvests wereperformed; water use and the main production and plant growth parameters were recorded. D. tenuifoliaprovided a yield 47.3% higher than D. muralis. By rising salinity, progressive decline in marketable yieldand growth of the leaves was recorded, while the dry matter content increased. The increase in salinityhas led to the progressive reduction of water use in both genotypes. From moderate salinity values (about5.5 dS m-1), the reduction in yield water use efficiency as a result of increased salinity has been observed.In addition, salinity reduced specific leaf area and increased leaf succulence. Both genotypes rank amongmoderately salt sensitive species, according to Maas and Hoffman's model (1977). However, D. tenuifolia,with a critical threshold of 1.98 dS m-1 and a slope of 6.61% m dS-1, showed a slightly higher tolerancethan D. muralis (threshold 1.34 dS m-1 and slope 7.25% m dS-1). Reduction in yield due to salinity occurredmainly for the decrease in leaf size and, secondly, number of leaves.

Autore Pugliese

• Boari Francesca , Montesano Francesco Fabiano , Cantore Vito

Tutti gli autori

• Schiattone M.I.; Candido V.; Cantore V.; Montesano F.F.; Boari F.

Titolo volume/Rivista

Agricultural water management

Anno di pubblicazione

2017

ISSN

0378-3774

ISBN

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Numero di citazioni Wos

Nessuna citazione

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Numero di citazioni Scopus

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Settori ERC

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Codici ASJC

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