Class

Article

College

College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Department

English Department

Faculty Mentor

Youping Sun

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Abstract

Native plants are of great value in urban landscape as they are drought, disease, and pest tolerant. Use of native plants also helps to reduce air pollution and promote biodiversity. However, limited information exists for salinity stress responses of native plants. Four Utah native plants [Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Kinnikinnick), Cercocarpus ledifolius (curl-leaf mountain mahogany), Cercocarpus montanus ‘Coy’ (alder-leaf mountain mahogany), and Shepherdia × utahensis ‘Torrey’ (hybrid buffaloberry)] were evaluated for relative salinity tolerance under greenhouse conditions. Plants were irrigated with a nutrient solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2 dS·m-1 (control) or saline solutions at ECs of 5.0 or 10.0 dS·m-1 for 8 weeks. At harvest, A. uva-ursi and C. montanus ‘Coy’ had a visual score of 3.7 (0 = dead, 5 = excellent without foliar salt damage) when irrigated with saline solution at an EC of 5.0 dS·m-1 and were dead at an EC of 10.0 dS·m-1. Similarly, C. ledifolius had slight foliar salt damage with an average visual score of 3.4 when irrigated with saline solution at an EC of 10.0 dS·m-1. However, no foliar salt damage was observed on S. × utahensis ‘Torrey’ during the experimental period. In addition, with elevated salinity levels in the irrigation water leaf area and shoot dry weight of plants were decreased. In conclusion, A. uva-ursi and C. montanus ‘Coy’ were more sensitive to salinity levels tested in this study compared to C. ledifolius and S. × utahensis ‘Torrey’.

Location

Logan, UT

Start Date

4-8-2022 12:00 AM

Included in

Life Sciences Commons

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Apr 8th, 12:00 AM

Responses of Utah Native Plants to Saline Water Irrigation

Logan, UT

Native plants are of great value in urban landscape as they are drought, disease, and pest tolerant. Use of native plants also helps to reduce air pollution and promote biodiversity. However, limited information exists for salinity stress responses of native plants. Four Utah native plants [Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Kinnikinnick), Cercocarpus ledifolius (curl-leaf mountain mahogany), Cercocarpus montanus ‘Coy’ (alder-leaf mountain mahogany), and Shepherdia × utahensis ‘Torrey’ (hybrid buffaloberry)] were evaluated for relative salinity tolerance under greenhouse conditions. Plants were irrigated with a nutrient solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2 dS·m-1 (control) or saline solutions at ECs of 5.0 or 10.0 dS·m-1 for 8 weeks. At harvest, A. uva-ursi and C. montanus ‘Coy’ had a visual score of 3.7 (0 = dead, 5 = excellent without foliar salt damage) when irrigated with saline solution at an EC of 5.0 dS·m-1 and were dead at an EC of 10.0 dS·m-1. Similarly, C. ledifolius had slight foliar salt damage with an average visual score of 3.4 when irrigated with saline solution at an EC of 10.0 dS·m-1. However, no foliar salt damage was observed on S. × utahensis ‘Torrey’ during the experimental period. In addition, with elevated salinity levels in the irrigation water leaf area and shoot dry weight of plants were decreased. In conclusion, A. uva-ursi and C. montanus ‘Coy’ were more sensitive to salinity levels tested in this study compared to C. ledifolius and S. × utahensis ‘Torrey’.