1. Physiological Aspects of Melon (Cucumis melo L.) as a Function of Salinity
- Author
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Fernando Henrique Alves da Silva, Patrícia Lígia Dantas de Morais, Nildo da Silva Dias, Marlenildo Ferreira Melo, Glauber Henrique de Sousa Nunes, Maria Tereza de Albuquerque Nascimento, and Marciana Bizerra de Morais
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Irrigation ,Stomatal conductance ,Melon ,Chemistry ,food and beverages ,Plant Science ,Saline water ,01 natural sciences ,Salinity ,03 medical and health sciences ,Horticulture ,030104 developmental biology ,Cultivar ,Agronomy and Crop Science ,Water use ,010606 plant biology & botany ,Transpiration - Abstract
This study evaluated the effect of saline water irrigation (4.5 dS m−1) on growth, gas exchange and mineral nutrient content in eight melon accessions and two cultivars classified as tolerant (Sancho) and susceptible (Caribbean Gold) to salinity. Results showed saline water irrigation reduced stomatal conductance, which consequently decreased transpiration and photosynthesis. Also, plants became more efficient in water use under salinity and increased K+/Na+ in leaves as a mechanism to mitigate the ionic stress caused by Na+ and Cl−. Moreover, the accessions responded differently from cultivars to saline water irrigation. However, we found accessions more efficient in water use, with more K+/Na+ content and higher photosynthesis rate than Sancho under saline and non-saline water irrigation. Due to these traits, these accessions were more productive than Sancho under salinity.
- Published
- 2020
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