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Salinity and waterlogging tolerances in three stem-succulent halophytes (Tecticornia species) from the margins of ephemeral salt lakes

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Abstract

Background and aims

Tecticornia species are stem-succulent, perennial halophytes (sub-family Salicornioideae; Chenopodiaceae) that inhabit saline areas including the margins of ephemeral salt lakes in Australia. Based on zonation observed at salt lakes, species were hypothesised to differ in tolerances to salinity and/or waterlogging.

Methods

Three Tecticornia species were grown in sub-irrigated or waterlogged sand culture with treatments from 10 to 800 mM NaCl, for 60 d in a glasshouse. Growth, tissue solutes, root porosity, root radial O2 loss, and ethanol production, were assessed.

Results

The three species were salt tolerant; at 800 mM NaCl shoot RGR (ash-free) was reduced by 9% in T. indica, 22% in T. pergranulata and 39% in T. mellaria. Na+ and Cl− were the predominant osmotica in succulent stem tissues. Glycinebetaine was a major organic solute. T. pergranulata and T. indica were waterlogging tolerant; shoot RGR was reduced by at most 29% irrespective of salinity. Waterlogging tolerance in T. mellaria was variable (shoot RGR 8%–56% of controls) and some individuals died. T. pergranulata formed adventitious roots with aerenchyma, but the two other species did not. Anoxic tips of lateral roots produced ethanol.

Conclusion

The three Tecticornia species are salt tolerant. T. pergranulata is also waterlogging tolerant and formed adventitious roots containing aerenchyma, traits consistent with growth on mud flats of salt lakes. T. indica was unexpectedly tolerant of waterlogging, whereas T. mellaria was less tolerant. Future work is needed to evaluate tolerances of inundation (i.e. submergence) and to higher salinity treatments.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support for this research was provided by Normandy Mining Ltd, Placer Dome Inc, Acacia Resources Ltd, Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM), Mineral and Energy Research Institute of Western Australia, and the Australian Research Council. Greg Barrett (formerly of KCGM) is thanked for suggesting studies of Tecticornia species at Hannan Lake and other ‘nearby’ salt lakes, and for enthusiastic support of this research. We thank Kelly Shepherd (WA Herbarium) for identification of Tecticornia plants used as seed parents in our research, and for comments on a draft of our manuscript. David Jasper is thanked for advice during this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Plant Biology (M084), The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Jeremy P. English & Timothy D. Colmer

  2. Rio Tinto, 152-158 St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA, 6000, Australia

    Jeremy P. English

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  1. Jeremy P. English
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Correspondence to Timothy D. Colmer.

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Appendix

Appendix

Table 3 P values and trends in variate responses determined via analysis of variance (one- and two-way, as appropriate), for Tecticornia pergranulata, T. indica and T. mellaria, grown in sub-irrigated or waterlogged sand culture at 10–800 mM NaCl for 60 d. Water-level treatments (WT) were sub-irrigated (SI) or waterlogging (WL)
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English, J.P., Colmer, T.D. Salinity and waterlogging tolerances in three stem-succulent halophytes (Tecticornia species) from the margins of ephemeral salt lakes. Plant Soil 348, 379–396 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-011-0924-6

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