Response of Olive (Olea europaea L.) self-rooted cuttings to joint salinity and soil compaction stresses in soil hypoxia conditions

Responses of Olive self-rooted cuttings to irrigation water salinity and soil compaction in moisture of 0.9 saturation were studied. A loamy sand soil passed through a 4.75mm sieve, poured into PVC cylinders and compacted to achieve the desired compaction levels (bulk density of 1.3, 1.5 and 1.7 g cm-3). Then rooted olive cuttings were transplanted into the cylinders and were irrigated by waters with different salinities of 2, 5, 8 and 12 dS m-1 for five months. Instantaneous water use efficiency, electrolyte leakage, SPAD index and number of leaves to salinity of 8, and parameters of photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, temperature difference between leaf and environment to salinity of 5 dS m-1 had no statistically meaningfull differences. Soil hypoxia decreases salinity tolerance mechanisms. With respect to olive plant growth, the bulk density of 1.3 g cm-3 was determined the optimum level of soil compaction for a loamy sand soil.