Effects of Sodium Chloride on Some Physiological Traits and Chemical Composition of Two Safflower Cultivars

To investigate the effects of sodium chloride on two safflower cultivars (LRV 51/11 and LRV 51/51(padideh), four levels of salinity: 0, 4, 8 and 12 dS/m, were employed as a factorial experiment arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replication in a controlled environment of the greenhouse during 2008-2009. The desired salinity levels were developed by mixing the required amount of NaCl in soil before filling the pots (0, 2.16, 4.32, 8.64 g/kg soil). In most southern provinces of Iran, Soil Salinity is a growing problem particularly in irrigated agricultural areas and has been found to reduce safflower yield. The results indicated that increasing salinity from 0 to 12 dS/m, decreased emergence percentage, significantly. The two cultivars responded similarly to salinity. The number of leaves per plant and also the plant height were decreased upon increasing salinity. The results showed that increasing salinity levels decreased leaf area (LA) and dry weight (DW) in the LRV 51/11 line. These two lines were not significantly different from each other with respect to LA, DW and Na⁺. Increasing salinity levels increased Na⁺ and decreased K⁺ in both varieties. Overall, it appeared that LRV51/11 has higher performance and better compatibility conditions to the region, it more suitable for growth in saline soils found in the investigation. Increasing salinity from 0 to 4 dS/m initially increased LA and DW but increasing salinity from 4 to 12 dS/m decreased LA and DW in the LRV 51/51(padideh) line.