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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2018, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (9): 67-76.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2017461

• Orignal Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Evaluation of salt tolerance in different alfalfa varieties under uniform and non-uniform salt stress

XIONG Xue1, 2, GUI Wei-yang1, LIU Mo-han1, CHEN Ji-hui1, ZHANG Ying-jun1, 3, 4, *   

  1. 1.College of Agro-grassland Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China;
    2.Hebei Normal University for Nationalities, Chengde 067000, China;
    3.College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China;
    4.Key Laboratory of Grasslands Management and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100193, China
  • Received:2017-11-01 Revised:2017-12-18 Online:2018-09-20 Published:2018-09-20

Abstract: Soil salinity is rarely spatially uniform under field conditions; it varies greatly in the single plant rhizosphere. While many previous studies have assessed the effects of uniform salt stress on different plant varieties, much less is known about plant salt tolerance under non-uniform salt stress, which more closely resembles field salt conditions. The salt tolerance of six varieties of alfalfa were assessed at uniform salt stress (100, 200 mmol·L-1NaCl) and non-uniform salt stress (0/200 mmol·L-1NaCl) by using a split-root system. The plant growth rate, aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, water uptake, electric conductivity, malondialdehyde (MDA), chlorophyll (Chl) and proline (Pro) contents were measured. The membership function method was utilized to assess salt tolerance. Our results showed both uniform salt stress and non-uniform salt stress significantly decreased growth rate, above/below-ground biomass, water uptake, and chlorophyll content, while membrane permeability, malondialdehyde and proline increased at high salt stress. Varieties differed in their response to salt stress. The salt tolerance of each cultivar at uniform salt stress of 100 and 200 mmol·L-1 NaCl was Zhongmu No.1>WL354HQ>WL343HQ>WL353LH>Algonquin>WL298HQ, non-uniform salt stress of 0/200 mmol·L-1NaCl was Zhongmu No.1>WL354HQ>WL298HQ>WL343HQ>WL353LH>Algonquin. Zhongmu No.1 appeared to be the most tolerant cultivar to different salinity, whereas Algonquin had a lower salt tolerance. WL298HQ under uniform and non-uniform salt stress varied greatly while other cultivars showed a moderate salt tolerance.

Key words: alfalfa (Medicago sativa), salt tolerance, non-uniform salt, comprehensive evaluation