Preliminary Study of Sodium Chloride Tolerance of Rudbeckia fulgida var. speciosa 'Goldsturm', Heuchera americana 'Dale's Variety' and Aquilegia xcultorum 'Crimson Star' Grown in Greenhouse Conditions'

摘要

Heuchera americana 'Dale's Variety', Aquilegia xcultorum 'Crimson Star' and Rudbeckia fulgida var. speciosa 'Goldsturm' were grown in a soilless medium and watered weekly with either 0.00 (control), 0.05, 0.15 or 0.25 M NaCl solutions for 6 weeks. Foliage and leachate were analyzed for pH, Na+ and Cl-, and digital images were taken of all plants. Sodium and chloride concentrations in the leachate increased over time, while pH values remained unchanged. Aquilegia and Rudbeckia took up both Na+ and Cl- in increasing amounts over time. Heuchera took up large quantities of Cl- initially, but lesser amounts over time, and minimal Na+ into the foliage until the last week. At the highest treatment levels of NaCl, all plants showed significant visual damage. Aquilegia was the first to show visual damage at 0.05 M NaCl. Heuchera was intermediate in terms of symptom development. Based on the results of this study, Rudbeckia and Heuchera are listed as salt tolerant, and Aquilegia is listed as salt intolerant.