Salinity differentially affects growth and ecophysiology of two mastic tree (pistacia lentiscus l.) accessions

Abstract

Pistacia lentiscus (Anacardiaceae; mastic tree) is an evergreen sclerophyll species,largely distributed in dry areas of the Mediterranean basin and well-adapted to severe conditionsof drought in very unfertile soils. In the present study, we evaluated the growing responsesof two accessions of P. lentiscus to three different levels of salinity under nursery conditions.The two mastic tree accessions (Manfredonia and Specchia) were collected from individual trees intwo different sites in the Apulia region (Southern Italy) and subjected to three different levels ofsalinization by adding 0, 400, and 800 g of salts 100 L-1of substrate, respectively. The followingparameters were recorded: plant height; survival of plants and total root length; total biomass;number of leaves per plant and leaf area; as well as various ecophysiological traits. Salinity reducedthe values of all the examined parameters, both morphological and physiological. Results suggestedthat P. lentiscus can tolerate and accumulate salt at high concentrations in nursery conditions. As aresult, it is important to identify germplasm that is highly tolerant to salinity for the production ofnursery seedlings that will be planted in saline soils.