Nutrient uptake and use efficiencies in Medicago ciliaris under salinity |
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| Authors: | Siwar Ferchichi Amine El Khouni Abdallah Atia Mokded Rabhi Mohamed Gharsalli |
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| Institution: | Laboratory of Extremophile Plants (LPE), Biotechnology Centre of Borj Cedria (CBBC), Hammam-Lif, Tunisia |
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| Abstract: | Salt-induced responses of Medicago ciliaris was studied under controlled conditions. Twenty-two-day old seedlings were cultivated for one month in a nutrient medium added or not with 75 mM sodium chloride (NaCl). Our results showed that this species is relatively salt-tolerant since the whole biomass production of salt-treated plants was affected a little (?30%) as compared to the control. The slight salt effect was mainly nutritional and concerned both macro potassium, calcium and magnesium (K, Ca, and Mg) and micro-nutrients iron (Fe). K and Fe uptake efficiencies were more affected than those of Ca and Mg. Nevertheless, M. ciliaris was able to counterbalance this impact by increasing both K and Fe use efficiencies. The enhancement of K use efficiency could be due in part to the plant aptitude to accumulate sodium (Na+) ions within its shoot tissues and to use them for osmotic adjustment. This “includer” behavior allowed M. ciliaris to maintain an adequate water status under saline conditions. |
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| Keywords: | Glycophyte includer nutrient uptake efficiency nutrient use efficiency salinity |
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