Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
RESEARCH ON CROPS, cilt.14, sa.2, ss.576-584, 2013 (SCI-Expanded)
Forage crops tolerant to salinity stress during seed germination and vegetative growth are highly important for plant establishment and maintenance in saline pastures and meadows. The present study was conducted to determine how salinity affects germination, plant growth and development of strawberry clover. Strawberry clovers were grown in pots filled with a mixture of sand and peat moss, and were irrigated with waters of seven different levels of salinity [0.06 (control), 9.36, 18.22, 26.67, 34.07, 42.70 and 50.1 dS/m]. Germination studies indicated that each increase in salinity after 11.0 dS/m caused a reduction in germination, with no seed germination after 42.0 dS/m NaCl. Salinity had considerable effect on plant (hay) fresh and dry weights, chlorophyll content, SPAD reading and electrolyte leakage value. The NaCl treatment proportionally reduced the fresh and dry weights of plant. Membrane damage of cells increased as NaCl concentration increased. Higher salinity concentration decreased photosynthetic pigment content that led to decrease photosynthetic rate and less dry matter production. Our data suggest that strawberry clover possesses moderate to good salinity tolerance during seed germination and vegetative growth has potential to be used on pastures and meadows with moderate salt problems affecting forage crops establishment and maintenance.