Physiological Response of Common Glasswort (Salicornia europaea L.) to Potassium Nano-Particles Grown in Saline Soils around the Lake Urmia

To evaluate the effects of spraying potassium nano-particles on the osmolytes, photosynthetic pigments, total carotenoids and nutrients of aerial parts of common glasswort (Salicornia europaea L.), a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted at the marginal lands of Lake Urmia in 2012. The treatments consisted of application of potassium nano-particle concentrations at five levels (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 g/l of K nano-particles) applied, once, twice and three times. Results of analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that there were significant interaction between the levels and concentrations of potassium nano-particles sprayings on aerial parts with respect to their contents proline, total soluble carbohydrates, total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a and b, total carotenoids (xanthophyll and carotene) and nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and sodium). The highest levels of proline (1.84 mg/g dry weight) at one time spraying 4 g/l of K, total soluble carbohydrates (66.9 mg/g dry weight) at three times spraying 4 g/l, total chlorophyll (26.23 mg/g fresh weight) and chlorophyll b (22.85 mg/g fresh weight) at two times of water spraying, and chlorophyll a (9.93 mg/g fresh weight) at three times of 4g/l of potassium nano-particles sprayings were obtained. The highest nitrogen (0.95 % of aerial parts) and phosphorus (2.99 g/kg dry weight of aerial parts) contents were obtained from three times water spraying. However, the highest amounts of aerial plant part of potassium (65.08 g/kg dry weight) and sodium (403 g/kg dry weight) belonged to the two times, and calcium (29.23 g/kg dry weight) to the three times spraying of 4 g/l nano-potassium. Despite of the high concentration of osmolytes by potassium spraying, the nutrient accumulations levels were not significantly different from each other.