The Role of Nitrogen in Inducing Salt Stress Tolerance in Crocus sativus L.: Assessment Based on Plant Growth and Ions Distribution in Leaves

Seyedeh Elahe Hashemi, Shahab Madahhosseini (), Hadi Pirasteh-Anosheh (), Ebrahim Sedaghati and Marco Race
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Seyedeh Elahe Hashemi: Department of Genetics and Plant Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan 7718897111, Iran
Shahab Madahhosseini: Department of Genetics and Plant Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan 7718897111, Iran
Hadi Pirasteh-Anosheh: National Salinity Research Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Yazd 8917357676, Iran
Ebrahim Sedaghati: Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan 7718897111, Iran
Marco Race: Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Via di Biasio 43, 03043 Cassino, Italy

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: The role of nitrogen (N) in inducing salt stress tolerance in plants is not well understood, and the question is more complicated in saffron ( Crocus sativus L.), which is sensitive to both nitrogen rates and salinity. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of different N (0, 50 and 150 kg ha −1 ) supplies on saffron growth and ions concentration in shoots under several salt stress levels (0, 3, 6 and 9 dS m −1 ). Salinity negatively affected plant growth assessed by leaves number, leaves length, shoot dry weight, corms number and corms weight. Moreover, there was a clear direct correlation between higher salinity value and less plant growth. Different effects due to salinity and nitrogen were evident in terms of the number and length of leaves during the growing season from day 60 after first irrigation (DAF) and achieved a peak after 90 DAF. Salt stress also affected the ions balance, as Na + , Cl − and Ca 2+ were enhanced and K + was reduced, thereby damaging the plants. Nitrogen partially mitigated the negative impacts of salinity on plant growth and ions balance, although this compensatory effect was observed when nitrogen supply was set at 50 kg N ha −1 . For example, in 2019–2020, the losses in shoot dry weight due to 9 dS m −1 salinity amounted to 47%, 44% and 54%, at 0, 50 and 100 kg N ha −1 respectively, thus indicating a less negative effect of salinity at 50 kg N ha −1 . Moreover, at 100 kg N ha −1 the negative effect of salinity was stronger for six and nine dS m −1 . Our findings suggested that the optimum N supply (50 kg N ha −1 ) strengthened the plant under non-saline and moderately saline (6 dS m −1 ) conditions, and consequently improved salt tolerance.

Keywords: chlorine; corm; leaf; potassium; salt; sodium (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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