Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of NaCl-salinity on growth, photosynthesis, water relations and solute accumulation in Phragmites australis

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Acta Physiologiae Plantarum Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of NaCl-salinity on the physiological attributes in common reed, Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steudel. Plants grew optimally under salinity treatment with standard nutrient solution without added salt and at NaCl concentrations up to 100 mM. Applied for 21 days, NaCl-salinity (300 and 500 mM) caused a significant reduction in growth allocation of all different tissues of P. australis. Shoot growth of reed plants displayed a highly significant correlation with plant–water relations and photosynthetic parameters. The net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance of reed plants treated with NaCl-salinity at varying osmotic potential (ψπ) of nutrient solutions were positively correlated, and the former variable also had a strong positive relationship with transpiration rate. Leaf water potential and ψπ followed similar trends and declined significantly as ψπ of watering solutions was lowered. The increase in total inorganic nutrients resulting from increased Na+ and Cl− in all tissues and K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations were maintained even at the most extreme salt concentration. Common reed exhibited high K+/Na+ and Ca2+/Na+ selectivity ratios over a wide range of salinities under NaCl-salinity. These findings suggest that reed plants were able to adapt well to high salinities by lowering their leaf ψπ and the adjustment of osmotically active solutes in the leaves.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

C i :

Internal CO2 concentration

DM:

Dry mass

E :

Transpiration rate

FM:

Fresh mass

g s :

Stomatal conductance

P N :

Net photosynthetic rate

RGR:

Relative growth rate

S K/Na :

K+/Na+ selectivity ratio

S Ca/Na :

Ca2+/Na+ selectivity ratio

ψπ :

Osmotic potential

ψp :

Turgor potential

ψw :

Water potential

WUE:

Water use efficiency

WUEi :

Intrinsic WUE

References

  • Arnon DI, Hoagland DR (1940) Crop production in artificial solutions and in soils with special reference to factors affecting yields and absorption of inorganic nutrient. Soil Sci 50:463–484

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ashraf M (2003) Relationships between leaf gas exchange characteristics and growth of differently adapted populations of Blue panicgrass (Panicum antidotale Retz.) under salinity or waterlogging. Plant Sci 165:69–75

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ashraf M (2004) Some important physiological selection criteria for salt tolerance in plants. Flora 199:361–376

    Google Scholar 

  • Ashraf M, Foolad MR (2007) Roles of glycine betaine and proline in improving plant abiotic stress resistance. Environ Exp Bot 59:206–216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ashraf M, Harris PJC (2004) Potential biochemical indicators of salinity tolerance in plants. Plant Sci 166:3–16

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bates S, Waldren RP, Teare ID (1973) Rapid determination of the free proline in water stress studies. Plant Soil 39:205–208

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blum A, Munns R, Passioura JB, Turner C (1996) Genetically engineered plants resistant to soil drying and salt stress: how to interpret osmotic relations? Plant Physiol 110:1051–1053

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blumwald E, Aharon GS, Apse MP (2000) Sodium transport in plant cells. Biochim Biophys Acta 1465:140–151

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burdick DN, Buchsbaum R, Holt E (2001) Variation in soil salinity associated with expansion of Phragmites australis in salt marshes. Environ Exp Bot 46:247–261

    Google Scholar 

  • Choi WJ, Ro H-M, Chang SX (2005) Carbon isotope composition of Phragmites australis in a constructed saline wetland. Aquat Bot 82:27–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Debez A, Ben Hamed K, Grignon C, Abdelly C (2004) Salinity effects on germination, growth and seed production of the halophyte Cakile maritima. Plant Soil 262:179–189

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Den Hartog C, Kvet J, Sukopp H (1989) Reed A common species in decline. Aquat Bot 35:1–4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn GM, Neales TF (1993) Are the effects of salinity on growth and leaf gas-exchange related. Photosynthetica 29:33–42

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Engloner AI (2009) Structure, growth dynamics and biomass of reed (Phragmites australis): a review. Flora 204:331–346

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorai M (2009) Effects of salinity and hypoxia on physiological behavior of the common reed (Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.). PhD. Thesis. Tunis El Manar University, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, Tunisia (in French)

  • Gorai M, Vadel MA, Neffati M (2006) Seed germination characteristics of Phragmites communis: effects of temperature and salinity. Belg J Bot 139:78–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorai M, Vadel AM, Neffati M, Khemira H (2007) The effect of sodium chloride salinity on the growth, water status, and ion content of Phragmites communis Trin. Pak J Biol Sci 13:2225–2230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gorai M, Ennajeh M, Khemira H, Neffati M (2010) Combined effect of NaCl-salinity and hypoxia on growth, photosynthesis, water relations and solute accumulation in Phragmites australis plants. Flora 205:462–470

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorham J, Bristol A, Yopung EM, Wyn Jones RG, Kashour G (1990) Salt tolerance in the Triticeae: K/Na Discrimination in Barley. J Exp Bot 41:1095–1101

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenway H, Munns R (1980) Mechanisms of salt tolerance in nonhalophytes. Ann Rev Plant Physiol 31:149–190

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hameed M, Ashraf M (2008) Physiological and biochemical adaptations of Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. from the salt range (Pakistan) to salinity stress. Flora 203:683–694

    Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt EJ (1966) Sand and water culture methods used in the study of plant nutrition. Commonw Bur Hortic Tech Com 22:431–446

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunt R (1990) Basic growth analysis. Plant growth analysis for beginners. Unwin Hyman, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson L (1951) Maintenance of iron supply in nutrient solutions by a single addition of ferric-potassium-ethylene-diamine-tetracetate. Plant Physiol 26:411–413

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaleel CA, Gopi R, Sankar B, Manivannan P, Kishorekumar A, Sridharan R, Panneerselvam R (2007) Alterations in germination, seedling vigour, lipid peroxidation and proline metabolism in Catharanthus roseus seedlings under salt stress. S Afr J Bot 73:190–195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koyro HW (2006) Effect of salinity on growth, photosynthesis water relations and solute composition of the potential cash crop halophyte Plantago coronopus (L.). Environ Exp Bot 56:136–146

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lissner J, Schierup HH, Comín FA, Astorga V (1999) Effect of climate on salt tolerance of two Phragmites australis population. II. Diurnal CO2 exchange and transpiration. Aquat Bot 64:335–350

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maathuis FJM, Amtmann A (1999) K+ nutrition toxicity: the basis of cellular K+/Na+ ratios. Ann Bot 84:112–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marschner H (1995) Mineral nutrition of higher plants. Academic Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Matoh T, Matsushita N, Takahashi E (1988) Salt tolerance of the reed plant Phragmites communis. Physiol Plant 72:8–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meloni DA, Oliva MA, Martinez CA, Cambraia J (2003) Photosynthesis and activity of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and glutathione reductase in cotton under salt stress. Environ Exp Bot 49:69–76

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Munns R (1993) Physiological processes limiting plant growth in saline soil: some dogmas and hypotheses. Plant Cell Environ 16:15–24

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Munns R (2002) Comparative physiology of salt and water stress. Plant Cell Environ 25:239–250

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Netondo GW, Onyangoa JC, Beck E (2004) Sorghum and salinity, I: response of growth, water relations, and ion accumulation to NaCl salinity. Crop Sci 44:797–805

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nobel PS (1991) Physicochemical and environmental plant physiology. Academic Press, San Diego

    Google Scholar 

  • Pagter M, Bragato C, Brix H (2005) Tolerance and physiological responses of Phragmites australis to water deficit. Aquat Bot 81:285–299

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pagter M, Bragato C, Malagoli M, Brix H (2009) Osmotic and ionic effects of NaCl and Na2SO4 salinity on Phragmites australis. Aquat Bot 90:43–51

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Parida AK, Das AB (2005) Salt tolerance and salinity effects on plants: a review. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 60:324–349

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scholander PF, Hammel HT, Bradstreet ED, Henningsen EA (1965) Sap pressure in vascular plants. Science 148:339–346

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shachtman D, Munns R, White Cross MI (1991) Variation in sodium exclusion and salt tolerance in Triticum tauschii. Crop Sci 31:992–997

    Google Scholar 

  • SPSS (2002) SPSS 11.5 for windows update. SPSS Inc, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Steduto P, Albrizio R, Giorio P, Sorrentino G (2000) Gas-exchange response and stomatal and non-stomatal limitations to carbon assimilation of sunflower under salinity. Environ Exp Bot 44:243–255

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sultana N, Ikeda T, Itoh R (1999) Effect of NaCl salinity on photosynthesis and dry matter accumulation in developing rice grains. Environ Exp Bot 42:211–220

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi R, Nishio T, Ichizen N, Takano T (2007) Cloning and functional analysis of the K+ transporter, PhaHAK2, from salt-sensitive and salt-tolerant reed plants. Biotechnol Lett 29:501–506

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tezara W, Mitchell V, Driscoll SP, Lawlor DW (2002) Effects of water deficit and its interaction with CO2 supply on the biochemistry and physiology of photosynthesis in sunflower. J Exp Bot 53:1781–1791

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang HL, Hao LM, Wen JQ, Zhang CL, Liang HG (1998) Differential expression of photosynthesis-related genes of reed ecotypes in response to drought and saline habitats. Photosynthetica 35:61–69

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wolf O, Munns R, Tounet ML, Jeschke WD (1991) The role of the stem in the partitioning of Na+ and K+ in salt-treated barley. J Exp Bot 42:697–704

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeo AR (1998) Molecular biology of salt tolerance in the context of whole-plant physiology. J Exp Bot 49:915–929

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao KF, Song J, Fan H, Zhou S, Zhao M (2010) Growth response to ionic and osmotic stress of NaCl in salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive Maize. J Integr Plant Biol 52:468–475

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhu JK (2001) Plant salt tolerance. Trends Plant Sci 6:66–71

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are thankful to the journal associate editor Prof. Sylvie Renault and three anonymous referees for their constructive comments on earlier versions of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d’Ecologie Pastorale, Institut des Régions Arides, 4119, Médenine, Tunisia

    Mustapha Gorai & Mohamed Neffati

  2. Laboratoire des Biotechnologies Végétales Appliquées à l’Amélioration des Cultures, Faculté des Sciences de Gabès, 6072, Gabès, Tunisia

    Mustapha Ennajeh & Habib Khemira

Authors
  1. Mustapha Gorai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mustapha Ennajeh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Habib Khemira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mohamed Neffati
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mustapha Gorai.

Additional information

Communicated by S. Renault.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gorai, M., Ennajeh, M., Khemira, H. et al. Influence of NaCl-salinity on growth, photosynthesis, water relations and solute accumulation in Phragmites australis . Acta Physiol Plant 33, 963–971 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-010-0628-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-010-0628-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation