EFFECT OF SALINITY STRESS ON UPTAKE RATE OF MINERAL

Indian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Life Sciences ISSN: 2231– 6345 (Online)
An Open Access, Online International Journal Available at http://www.cibtech.org/jls.htm
2015 Vol. 5 (1) January-March, pp. 102-108/Jahromi and Alipour
Research Article
    EFFECT OF SALINITY STRESS ON UPTAKE RATE OF MINERAL
        ELEMENTS BY MEXICAN MARIGOLD (Tagetes erecta)
                     *Abdolhossein Aboutalebi Jahromi and Morteza Alipour
           Department of Horticulture, Jahrom Branch, Islamic Azad University, Jahrom, Iran
                                     *Author for Correspondence

ABSTRACT
In order to evaluate the effect of salinity on uptake rate of mineral elements by Mexican marigold,
different solutions of NaCl in concentrations of 25, 50, 75, 100 and 150 mmol were prepared, distilled
water was used as control treatment. Three replications were considered. At the end of the experiment,
the elements of N, P, K, Na, Ca, Mg and Cl were measured in the plant extract. Based on the obtained
results in the present study, it can be concluded that salinity affects amount of nutrient in Mexican
marigold so that absorption of essential element is disrupted which unbalance and reduce the amount of
mineral. By increasing salinity levels, reduction of potassium absorption and obligate enhancement of
sodium absorption in comparison to other elements was observed.

Keywords: Mexican Marigold, Sodium Chloride, Mineral Elements

INTRODUCTION
Based on variation of color, seasonal flowers are very important component of the cities landscape and
are considered by landscape designers. Therefore, evaluation of physiological conditions of these plants is
important in various conditions such as drought and salinity. This help in increasing their chances of
survival and in the dry regions having saline soils. Marigold flower is among seasonal and ornamental
flowers that are repeatedly used. With regards to the soil conditions and climate of Kerman city (Iran), no
study has been not been done till now in relation to the resistance of Mexican marigold against salinity
stress. Iran and especially Kerman region experience severe drought conditions, therefore assessing the
resistance rate of this plant to salinity is necessary. Different plants have various reactions to abiotic
stresses. For this purpose, until now different studies have been done on the effect of various salinity
concentrations on plants morphological parameters and their yield. Ebadi et al., (2009), in order to
evaluate the effect of salinity stress on germination of four Babylonian including Germania, Bona, Gural
and Leotea found that Gural cultivar had the highest tolerance to salinity in germination stage. Turhan and
Ayaz (2004) reported that increasing salinity level decreased plantlet emergence by influencing on cell
division and plant metabolism. They also found that inhibitory effect of NaCl on germination of
sunflower seed is dependent to uptake of Cl and Na ions by hypocotyls. Bybordi and Tabatabaei (2009)
revealed that reduction of germination percent and velocity has connection with reduction of water
absorption by seed and turgescence. Reduction of radical and plumule length by increasing salinity stress
has been reported by Yildirim and Guvenc (2006) in pepper and Oksu et al., (2005) in pea. Other studies
demonstrated that salinity stress overcome due to sodium and chloride ions, but destructive effects of both
elements is different in various plants (Aboutalebi and Hassanzadeh Khankahdani 2014). Salinity stress
cause to reduce of water potential and ions unbalancing and consequently lead to reduce of plant growth
and fertility and plant dead. Salinity stress lead to both ionic and osmotic stresses (Fakerbaher et al.,
2001). Salinity stress affects plant growth, photosynthesis, proteins synthesis, lipids methabolism and
energy production (Yordanov et al., 2003). In the study that performed by Nekuzad (2009) on the effect
of salinity on Babylonian, plant height and root length and plant fresh and dry weight significantly
decreased. Kian (2009) observed significant reduction in plant height and root length of Globe artichoke
by salinity enhancement. In the other research, Noori et al., (2012) evaluated the effect of different
salinity concentration on flower yield, soluble components and saline element amount and essence quality
of Shirazi Babylonian. Their results showed that growth parameters of Babylonian plant significantly
decreased by increasing salinity. Secondary metabolism changes also was significant than control

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Indian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Life Sciences ISSN: 2231– 6345 (Online)
An Open Access, Online International Journal Available at http://www.cibtech.org/jls.htm
2015 Vol. 5 (1) January-March, pp. 102-108/Jahromi and Alipour
Research Article
treatment, so that, salinity decreased essence about 35.23% and moreover it increased chamazulene about
26.31%. Besides, sodium and chloride ions concentration in the stem and root of Babylonian significantly
increased by salinity enhancement, which this subject caused to reduce uptake of potassium and calcium
elements. Safarnejad et al., (2007) showed that growth parameters such as root and stem length, fresh and
dry weight of root and stem and total biomass of Nigella seed, significantly decreased by increasing
salinity. Haghiri et al., (2010) indicated that increasing salinity levels led to significant increase of Na and
Cl in both root and stem of Babylonian plant, however, the concentration of these elements in the shoot
was higher than root. They found that salinity had no significant influence on yield and quality of essence
and percentage of Apigenin. Proline amino acid is among components of osmotic regulators and its
accumulation in plant cells is one of the most important inductive changes by drought and salinity stresses
in the plants.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this study was used Mexican marigold (Tagetes erecta). In order to evaluate the effect of salinity on
Mexican marigold, was prepared different solutions of NaCl in concentrations of 25, 50, 75, 100 and 150
mmol as well as distilled water solution as control treatment and was considered three replication. The
plants in the same pots in the greenhouse placed in Rafsanjan city, Kerman, Iran, were planted and
studied under 18 °C for 6-7 weeks. In each treatment, NaCl solutions were gradually added to the pots 5
times to prevent probable shock. After treating, the pots were irrigated every 3 days without leaching
from bottom of the pots. Finally, in the end of experiment, the leaf was sampled for measuring mineral
elements. For this purpose, the elements of N, P, K, Na, Ca, Mg and Cl were measured in the plant
extract. To measure plant’s elements such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous, plant extract was
prepared by ash making method and extracting by acid and the boiled water. Nitrogen concentration was
measured by Kjeldahl method. Potassium and phosphorous concentrations in the plant extraction was
measured using Flame photometer and spectrophotometer devices, respectively. Concentration of Na, Fe,
Zn and Cl in the plant extraction was measured by graphite furnace method using atomic absorption
device. The obtained data was analyzed by using MSTAT-C software and the means were compared by
Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Influence of salinity stress on the mean of some elements concentration in Mexican marigold extract has
been showed in Table 1.

Table 1: Mean of mineral elements concentration in the studied treatments
elements    K          P          N          Ca          Na         Cl                     Mg         Fe
treatments
Control        1.48±0.2     0.27±0.0    1.24±0.0     2.39±0.3    3.05±0.3     2.67±0.2     0.32±0.0   0.53±0.0
(0 mmol)       2            6           9            9           5            1            4          4
Group-I        1.38±0.1     0.27±0.0    1.17±0.0     1.84±0.4    3.47±0.2     3.57±0.1     0.28±0.0   0.45±0.0
(25 mmol)      4            3           5            1           3            8            6          4
Group-II       1.28±0.1     0.23±0.0    1.06±0.0     1.39±0.3    4.27±0.3     4.35±0.3     0.23±0.0   0.41±0.0
(50 mmol)      5            6           7            1           8            4            3          3
Group-III      1.00±0.1     0.17±0.0    0.88±0.0     1.26±0.0    4.72±0.1     4.52±0.4     0.16±0.0   0.37±0.0
(75 mmol)      0            2           4            3           2            7            3          3
Group-IV       0.96±0.0     0.14±0.0    0.82±0.0     1.00±0.1    5.27±0.3     4.74±0.4     0.13±0.0   0.33±0.0
(100 mmol)     4            3           7            8           3            0            1          3
Group-V        0.87±0.0     0.11±0.0    0.75±0.1     0.96±0.1    5.48±0.1     5.31±0.3     0.10±0.0   0.28±0.0
(150 mmol)     6            1           3            1           5            8            1          7
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Indian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Life Sciences ISSN: 2231– 6345 (Online)
An Open Access, Online International Journal Available at http://www.cibtech.org/jls.htm
2015 Vol. 5 (1) January-March, pp. 102-108/Jahromi and Alipour
Research Article
Results demonstrated that the concentration of some elements especially potassium, phosphorous,
nitrogen, magnesium and iron decreased by salinity enhancement, while the concentration of sodium and
chloride significantly increased in plant extract. Control treatment that was without any salt concentration
during irrigation, significantly had the greatest concentration of potassium, phosphorous, nitrogen,
magnesium and iron compared with the other treatments, while chloride and sodium concentration was
the higher amount in 150 mmol NaCl than other treatments (Figures 1 and 2). Salinity of soil or water is
one of the restrictive environmental factors affecting on the yield of agronomical and medicinal plants in
arid and semi-arid regions, which is causing to disorder in natural growth and development of the plants
in extensive regions of the earth (Aboutalebi and Hassanzadeh, 2014). Different plants have various
responses to salinity and drought stresses and for this purpose at present has been done different studies
on the effect of salinity stress on plants morphological characteristics and their yield. To this end, in this
research was evaluated the effect of different salinity concentration on mineral element amounts in
Mexican marigold flower. Nowadays, absorption mechanisms and pattern of distribution and
accumulation of ions have been assessed in different organs of salinity resistant plants (Rahmani et al.,
2010). General response of plants against increasing salinity concentration is toxicity of especial ions and
nutrient deficiency.

               Figure 1: Mean of Fe, Mg, N and P concentration in different treatments

At present, badness effect of salinity is relative to high osmotic pressure and toxicity due to ions
accumulation that finally cause to reduce absorption of water and nutrients. To this reason, absorption
preventing and salt accumulation in the plants is an effective physiological mechanism for resistance to
salinity. Amount of toxicity tolerance vary between species and it is possible be relative to ion repelling
via root bark layer or distribution of import ions to plant in the older leaves or other parts of plant
(Davoodifard et al., 2012). Osmotic regulation by increasing soluble materials for reduction of osmotic
potential without disorder to plant metabolism is one of the plants compatibility mechanisms to water
limitation. These materials are sugars, amino acids, organic acids, proline and glycine betaine
(Mohammad et al., 2008), which act as membrane protector and permanent agents and enzyme structure
and free radical destructive in saline medium (Mosaffa, 2012). It seems salinity affects mineral content of
Mexican marigold, so that, absorption of essential element disrupted and cause to unbalance and deficit of
mineral elements. For example, potassium and calcium have antagonistic effect together (Mohammad et
al., 2008).
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Indian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Life Sciences ISSN: 2231– 6345 (Online)
An Open Access, Online International Journal Available at http://www.cibtech.org/jls.htm
2015 Vol. 5 (1) January-March, pp. 102-108/Jahromi and Alipour
Research Article

              Figure 2: Mean of NA, K, Cl and Ca concentration in different treatments

Haghiri et al., (2010) found that enhancing salinity levels caused to significant increase of Na and Cl in
the root and stem of Babylonian plant, however, the concentration of these elements in the shoot was
higher than root. In a study was demonstrated by increasing sodium or sodium/calcium ratio in root
medium, potassium concentration decreased in plant organs. Potassium is a necessary nutrient element for
plants growth that has key role in regulation of osmotic pressure and NaCl cause to confuse active
absorption of this element (Yazdani et al., 2007). Therefore, sodium prevents selective absorption of the
plant cell. Furthermore, competition of sodium with potassium for connection site within cell reduces
inactive absorption of potassium. In this relation, exchange of vacuole potassium with sodium was
mentioned as a probable mechanism for accumulation of sodium in the vacuole (Sajedi and Sajedi, 2009).
In higher levels of salinity, dominance of sodium ion prevents potassium absorption by plant. Usually
concentration of potassium in the root is very lower than shoot organs and probably potassium is derived
from root and store in the shoot organs, consequently K/Na ratio in the shoot organs increase compared
with root. Generally, results of other researchers have been showed that tolerance and response to ion
toxicity derived salinity elements is different between medicinal plants (Haghiri et al., 2010).
In the present study, by increasing salinity levels were observed reduction of potassium absorption and
obligate enhancement of sodium absorption than other elements. Likewise, reduction of potassium by
increasing salinity stress and sodium toxicity by confusing of Na/K ration could be one of the reasons of
growth alleviation. Reduction of growth in potassium deficiency conditions probably could be relative to
positive role of potassium in stability of enzymes and proteins and reduction of sodium toxicity effect.
Sodium is not considered as necessary element for plant and sodium accumulation in plant in salinity
condition decreases calcium and potassium in plant. Although sodium can be help enhancement of
turgescence pressure, but it cannot replaces with potassium ion in actions of enzymes activation and
protein synthesis. Thus, it is might NaCl toxicity effects (due to accumulation of high salt in plant) not
only are due to direct effects of sodium ion, but because of reduction necessary nutrient elements such as
potassium and calcium in plant.
Main role in salinity conditions is by single-capacity ions and generally sodium ion is the most important
effective factor in stress making. Because of sodium prevents activity of many enzymes, existence of this
element must be minimum in cytoplasm. By increasing salt concentration in outside of plant, sodium
accumulation increase in plant organs (Aboutalebi and Hassanzadeh Khankahdani, 2014). Results of the
present study showed that by increasing age of plant, sodium accumulation increase in the plant so that in
same concentrations of mineral in the irrigation water, sodium amount accumulate in plant organs with
passing of time. Enhancement of chloride in plant tissues arising from confusing in nutrient absorption

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Indian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Life Sciences ISSN: 2231– 6345 (Online)
An Open Access, Online International Journal Available at http://www.cibtech.org/jls.htm
2015 Vol. 5 (1) January-March, pp. 102-108/Jahromi and Alipour
Research Article
and metabolism reduction, cause to leaf necrosis, reduction of growth and finally loss of plant yield (Bath
et al., 2009). Salinity stress disrupts absorption and mineral content as well as ions balancing and
increasing absorption of one element prevents absorption of other element (Haghiri et al., 2010). The
obtained results from the present study demonstrated that by increasing salinity, sodium accumulate in
plant organs that is comparable to other studies. Certainly, other studies have been showed that sodium
accumulation in stem is higher than roots.
Sodium accumulation in leaf vacuoles is one of the resistance mechanisms to salinity stress. Haghiri et
al., (2010) reported that salinity enhancement caused to raise sodium and chloride in Babylonian plant,
but chloride content in stem decreased in the salinity treatment of 16 ds/m compared to 12 ds/m. In the
other study has been showed that chloride content in root enhance by increasing salinity up to 12 ds/m in
Globe artichoke (Kian, 2009). Furthermore, it has been reported that potassium concentration in plant
organs decrease by increasing sodium amount or Na/Ca ration in root medium (Mostafavi and Heidarian,
2011). Potassium is a necessary cytoplasm element and often due to its role in regulation of osmotic
pressure as well as its competitive effect with sodium is considered as important element in salinity
conditions. To this reason, it is believed that low concentration of sodium and in better words low
sodium/potassium ratio in the leaves has close connection with salinity resistance (Aboutalebi and
Hassanzadeh, 2014).
For this purpose, to increase plants resistance to salinity has been done efforts using some chemicals for
reduction of absorption and accumulation of sodium in plants. It has been reported that in salinity
conditions application of 10 mmol calcium ions lead to reduce sodium absorption and increase potassium
and calcium absorption in rice. Consequently, badness effect of salinity decrease on growth of rice plants
(Kanneganti and Gupta, 2008). Studies showed that calcium element could be reducing destructive effects
of sodium and the plants having higher calcium content show greater resistance to salinity stress. Calcium
has crucial role in regulation of many plant physiological process, growth and response to environmental
stress. The element play role in opening and closing of stomata, cell division, cell wall synthesis and cell
structure. Chloride also is one of the elements that increasing its concentration in cell cause to change in
absorption of other nutrients such as nitrate as well as confusion in cell metabolism (Aboutalebi and
Hassanzadeh, 2014). Li et al., (2004) reported that amount of chloride in Paspalum plant increased by
increasing salinity.
Conclusion
Based on the obtained results in the present study, salinity affects amount of nutrient in Mexican marigold
so that absorption of essential element disrupted and cause to unbalance and deficit of mineral elements.
By increasing salinity levels were observed reduction of potassium absorption and obligate enhancement
of sodium absorption than other elements.

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