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Title: DOES SALINITY REDUCE BORON’S TOXIC EFFECT IN BROCCOLI?

Author
item GRATTAN, STEPHEN - DEP LAWR, UC DAVIS, CA
item Grieve, Catherine
item Poss, James

Submitted to: American Society of Horticulture Science Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/10/2005
Publication Date: 6/20/2005
Citation: Grattan, S.R., Grieve, C.M., Poss, J.A. 2005. Does salinity reduce boron’s toxic effect in broccoli? [Abstract]. American Society of Horticultural Science. 40(4):1075. . American Society of Horticulture Science Meeting.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: High salinity and boron often occur together in irrigation water in arid climates, but very little research has been done to study the interaction of the two. A greenhouse experiment was conducted at the U.S. Salinity Laboratory in sand tanks to evaluate the interactions between B and saline drainage water on the performance of broccoli. Particular interest in this study was directed towards the composition of the salinizing solution to determine what role various salts have on the salinity-boron interaction. Results from this study indicate that both Cl-based salts and those characteristic of saline drainage water (i.e., a mixture of salts dominated by sodium sulfate) showed a significant salinity-boron interaction. At high salinity, increased B concentration was less detrimental, both visually and quantitatively (i.e., biomass), that it was at low salinity. That is, plants could tolerate a higher solution B-concentration at higher salinity. However, there was no significant difference between salt types. The effects on head weights were more exaggerated than those on shoot biomass. Shoot B concentration was influenced by salinity, but interestingly the direction of influence was dependent upon the B concentration in the solution. Regardless of the composition of the salinizing solution, increased salinity increased shoot B concentration when B concentrations in the solution were relatively low (i.e., 0.5 mg/L). At the highest solution B concentration (28 mg/L), increased salinity reduced shoot B ion accumulation, but both salinity (i.e., EC) and salinity composition had very strong influences on shoot tissue ion composition. Therefore, these data indicate that salinity and B are antagonistic.