Growth of young argan tree seedlings (Argania spinosa L. Skeels) in northeast of morocco under controlled conditions at different NaCl concentrations

Abstract

This study is a contribution to assess the effect of salt on the development of young Argan tree seedlings (Argania spinosa L. Skeels). The experiments were conducted in pots under glass greenhouse at the National Institute of Agronomic Research of Oujda. The samples were subjected to salt treatment at different NaCl concentrations of 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7g/l. Herein, salt tolerance of the young seedlings was investigated by taking into account the morpho-metric and physiological parameters. The obtained data showed that the applied salt stress significantly affected the overall studied parameters, except for the height to diameter ratio that remained unaffected by the treatment. An increase of the mortality rate of the stressed samples was observed under higher NaCl concentrations. Indeed, the presence of 7g/l of NaCl in irrigation water solution led to a mortality rate of 71%. Also, the height and diameter of the young seedlings stems were found to be affected by the high NaCl concentrations. At the leaf level, the effect of the salt resulted in a decrease in the number of leaves and in lower levels of chlorophyll.