RESPONSE OF Origanum vulgare L. TO NaCl-STRESS

Background. One of the classic land degradation problems that man has had to face is controlling, preventing, or improving soils affected by salinity. Objective. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological and morphometric response of Origanum vulgare L. plants subjected to five concentrations of NaCl (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM NaCl). Methodology. The experiment was established in a completely randomized design with five treatments based on different concentrations of NaCl (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM) with four replications per treatment. Each repetition consisted of 14 plants. The variables evaluated were fresh and dry weight of leaves, leaf area, fresh and dry weight of stem, stem length, fresh and dry weight, and root length, chlorophyll content a and b, relative water content and water potential. Results. The results showed that the fresh and dry weight of leaves, stem and root, foliar area, as well as the length of stem and root showed significant differences between treatments, they decreased as NaCl concentrations increased in the culture medium, as did the chlorophyll content "a and b". It is concluded that oregano plants have the capacity to absorb Na from the culture medium in 50, 100 and 150 mM of NaCl. Implications. The study makes the possibility to determine the tolerance of oregano to salinity, by subjecting the plants to different concentrations of NaCl and assessing whether it has the capacity to absorb Na+ from the culture medium. The study shows that it is possible to grow oregano in floating root hydroponic conditions, considering the advantages that this system offers, such as saving water and nutrients, being possible to obtain adequate yield using water of moderate salinity (50 mM NaCl) that represents an electrical conductivity of 5.8 dS m-1. Conclusions. All variables decreased as NaCl concentrations increased in the culture medium. Oregano showed the ability to absorb Na+ from the culture medium in 50, 100 and 150 mM NaCl.