Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
III. INTERNATIONAL ANKARA SCIENTIFIC STUDIES CONGRESS, Ankara, Türkiye, 1 - 02 Mart 2025, ss.8-16, (Tam Metin Bildiri)
Salt stress restricts water uptake in plants, leading to osmotic imbalance and ion toxicity, which negatively affect metabolic processes. Salt stress is one of the abiotic stress factors which hinders plant growth and development. Root development, in particular, is highly susceptible to salt stress. Since roots play a critical role in the uptake of water and nutrients, elevated salt levels can significantly hinder plant growth. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of different salt levels on root development in okra. In the experiment, okra seeds were germinated under four different salt concentrations (control, 4 EC, 8 EC, and 12 EC), with five replications per treatment, resulting in a total of 50 seeds per treatment. Parameters such as rooting depth, root length, root volume, and root diameter were measured to evaluate the impact of salt stress on the root development of okra plants. The results indicated that increasing salt concentrations significantly inhibited root development. Particularly, there was a marked reduction in rooting depth and root length, with decreases of approximately 36%, 47%, and 64%, respectively, across the increasing salt levels. Root volume also showed a similar trend of reduction, with a decrease in the range of 36% to 74%. In contrast, root diameter increased under salt stress, which could be interpreted as an adaptive response of the plants to cope with the stress conditions. The increase in root diameter ranged from 10% to 55%. According to the results of the study, okra plants were significantly (p<0.001) affected by all salt treatments, with each salt level causing varying degrees of suppression in root development. The increase in salt concentration resulted in a higher reduction rate in root development parameters, which consequently limited the plant's overall growth. These findings provide insights into the critical effects of salt stress on okra's growth and development, highlighting the plant's mechanisms of adaptation to such conditions. In conclusion, although okra plants adapt their root morphology to cope with salt stress, high salt concentrations significantly inhibit root development, which could adversely affect overall yield. The morphological responses observed in okra under salt stress offer valuable insights into the plant's salt tolerance mechanisms.