Effects of different sodium choloride levels on some agronomic traits and chemical composition of two safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) cultivars

H. Sadeghi, and M.J. Bahrani

Abstract

In order to determine the effects of sodium coloride levels on the growth of two safflower cultivars a greenhouse experiment was conducted as factorial (42)  arranged in randomised compelete block design, with 3 replications. The salt (sodium chloride) levels were 0, 4, 8, and 12 ds m-1 of the soil saturation extract. The resuls showed that increasing salinity levels decreased leaf area(LA) and dry weight (DW) in 51/511 cultivar. Increasing salinity from 0 to 4 ds/m-1 increased LA and DW but increasing salinity from 4 to 12 ds/m-1 decreased LA and DW in 51/11 cultivar. There were no significant difference for LA, DW and Na+ concentration between the two cultivars. Increasing salinity levels increased Na+ and decreased K+ concentrations of both cultivars.