Επίδραση αλατότητας σε υδροπονική καλλιέργεια λεβάντας και φασκομηλιάς

Abstract

High concentrations of salinity significantly affect agriculture, particularly the growth and survival of crops. Continuous exposure of plants to salinity conditions can lead to permanent effects on production. An experiment with emphasis on the effect of different salinity concentrations held in hydroponic cultivation of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and sage (Salvia officinalis). Plants were grown in an open hydroponic system, in pots with perlite. The experiment was mainly to determine the growth parameters such as plant height, number of leaves, fresh and dry weight of above ground and underground, root length, thickness of the central stem, number of shoots. The concentration of nutrients in plants was also determined, along with the concentration of total phenolics and the content of chlorophylls, after the application of 25mM, 50mM, 75mM and 100mM NaCl in the hydroponic solution. Different concentrations of NaCl significantly affected plant growth of lavender and sage plants. It was observed that the plants after the application of high salinity (75mM and 100mM NaCl), remained stunted, with a significant reduction of, among others, the number of leaves, the fresh root weight (66% in lavender and 79% in sage) and dry root weight (70% in lavender and 79% in sage). The concentration of sodium (Na) increased linearly with the increase of NaCl concentration (values 20 times larger in lavender and 18 times the sage compared to the control plants). By applying 100mM NaCl, the concentration of potassium (K) decreased in both lavender and sage plants. Phosphorus (P) concentration did not show specific changes, while the nitrogen concentration (N) decreased only in sage plants. Total phenols did not show any significant difference in both species whereas concentrations of chlorophylls a, b and total chlorophylls decreased significantly with increased salinity.