THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL TRAITS AND SALT TOLERANCE IN PISTACHIO GENOTYPES

To determine the relative salt tolerance and/or resistance in seedlings of pistachio genotypes, four pot experiments were conducted. In experiments 1 and 2, the effects of salinity on growth indices were studid. Experiments were done in the form of split plot based on RCBD. In each experiment, mainplots consisted of different electrical conductivities of irrigation water (ECiws). In experiment 1, the seedlings of seven cultivars (cvs.) of Pistacia vera L. (Momtaz, Akbari, Kale-ghoochi, Owhadi, Ahmad-aghai, Sarakhs, Badami-riz) and also P. atlantica sub. Mutica (Baneh) were allocated in subplots. In the second experiment, three cvs. of P. vera L. (Badami riz,Momtaz and Owhadi) with different salt tolerances were used. In order to determine the resistance of pistachio cvs. in respect to seedlings survival, experiment 3 was done. In experiment 3, salinity treatments continued upto 70% of leaf damaging in seedlings. In experiment 4, the effects of salinity on pistachio seedlings in regards to chlorophyll-meter figures and proline contents studied. Nevertheless, the ratio of damaged leaves, K/Na ratio and total dry weight was determined. In experiment 4, the relationship between some physiological traits and salt tolerance in pistachio genotypes determined. We observed that not only salt tolerance varies cv. to cv., but also it changes in different sources of a given cv. In order to determine the salt tolerance of pistachio genotypes, the sensible traits (relative percent of total dry weight and seedlings survival) were more reliable than traits such as K/Na ratio, chlorophyll meter figure, and/or a single physiological character as same as leaf proline content.