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Root growth dynamics of olive (Olea europaea L.) affected by irrigation induced salinity

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Abstract

Background and aims

Irrigated olives are increasingly exposed to conditions of high salinity. Salt tolerance of olives is commonly attributed to ion exclusion. Our objective was to advance understanding of salt stress response of olive roots.

Methods

Nine levels of root zone salinity originating from either irrigation water salinity or leaching level were applied to bearing olive cv. Barnea trees grown in large weighing-drainage lysimeters. Minirhizotrons were used to measure count, diameter, length and age (color) of roots while analysis of sampled roots and leaves quantified ion uptake and accumulation.

Results

Increased exposure to salinity caused reduction in number and length of roots and increased root turnover. The most drastic effects occurred at the first level of salt gradient. Concentration of Na+ and Cl− was 5–10 times greater in root compared to leaf tissue. The K+/Na+ ratio decreased tenfold as root zone salinity increased in both roots and leaves.

Conclusions

Restricted ion transport from roots protected aerial tissue from ion toxicity, but at a high cost as root growth decreased and mortality rate increased. We suggest that the ionic component of salt stress is a prevailing force restricting root growth, life span and development in olives.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by The Israel Olive Board, The ICA in Israel Charitable Organization, The Negev Highlands R&D Center, and The ARO Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Students from India and China. Dr. Eugene Presnov, instrumental in the project, suddenly and sadly passed away during the writing of this manuscript. We dedicate this work to his memory.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Soil Water and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Gilat Research Center, 85280, mobile post Negev, Israel

    Neelam Soda, Ian Beiersdorf, Eugene Presnov, Uri Yermiyahu & Alon Ben-Gal

  2. French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 849900, Sede Boqer Campus, Israel

    Jhonathan E. Ephrath & Ian Beiersdorf

  3. Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Gilat Research Center, 85280, mobile post Negev, Israel

    Neelam Soda & Arnon Dag

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  1. Neelam Soda
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  2. Jhonathan E. Ephrath
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  3. Arnon Dag
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  4. Ian Beiersdorf
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  5. Eugene Presnov
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  7. Alon Ben-Gal
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Correspondence to Alon Ben-Gal.

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Responsible Editor: Guillermo Santa Maria.

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Soda, N., Ephrath, J.E., Dag, A. et al. Root growth dynamics of olive (Olea europaea L.) affected by irrigation induced salinity. Plant Soil 411, 305–318 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-3032-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-3032-9

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