Abstract
Response of three rose rootstocks i.e. Surkha, Lahori and Gulkandi to various Naa salinity levels (EC. 5, 10, 15 dSm-1) was studied. Sodium and chloride contents of leaves increased with increasing levels of salinity in all the rootstocks, however, the accumulation of sodium and chloride by rootstocks varied. Sprouting percentage of buds, plants, leaf area, fresh and dry weight of leaves, number of flowers and potassium contents decreased with an increase in salinity. The rose rootstock Surkha proved to be more salt tolerant than the others.
INTRODUCTION
Roses are rated as sensitive to salinity (McCall et al., 1%1). However, response of varieties to various salinity levels varies (Singh & Chitkara, 1983). Bernstein et aL (1972) found that rose growth decreased by 25 to 50% when water salinized with Na C1 and Na O4 at electrical conductivities be-tween 2.1 and 3.1 ciSrn-1. Yaron et al. (1969) studied the response of Baccara roses at various salinity levels (0.4 to 7.8) and found that stem and leaf growth coupled with water uptake decreased with increased soil salinity. Hughes (1975) reported that salinity damage was obvious on rose plants receiving solution having total 48 rrxel-1 of salts and 6 me1-1 HCO3.- He also observed fall in flowers yield. Singh 0982) observed that increasing salinity (EC. 2 to 8 dSm-I) resulted in reduction of rootstock growth, the growth of scions budded on rootstocks and leaf K + contents but increased Na+ and CI- concentrations in leaves.
The present study was aimed to deter-mine the influence of salinity on roses by
monitoring changes in morphological char-acters and to establish an overall salt toler-ance rating based on parameters that best described the salt response.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Three rose rootstocks, i.e. Surkha (G russ-anteplitz), Lahori (Rosa bourbonii-ono) and Gulkandi (Rosa dernaseena) were planted in the field in March, 1988. A year after, plants of equal age and height were selected and transplanted into polythene lined earthen pots filled with 8 kg of air dried soil previously passed through a 2 mm sieve. Salinity levels of EC„ 5, 10 and 15 ciSrril were developed artificially with commer-cial grade NaCi. The or soil having EC, 2,5 dSm-1 was treated as the control Single plant per pot was used as the experi-mental unit. Canal water used for irrigation.
Effect of different levels of salinity on sprouting of buds, plants survival of leaves, length of branches, leaf area, fresh and du weight of leaves and number of flowers were studied. Leaf analysis for Na+, K+ and Ci-
