Morphophysiological reactions of Berberis vulgaris L. to irrigation with saline water

To investigate the effects of irrigation water salinity (3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 dS.m-1) on morphophysiological characteristics of seedless barberry (Berberis vulgaris L.) aerial parts, an experiment was conducted using drained big pots in a completely randomized design with three replications at the central station of National Salinity Research Center, Yazd during 2018-2021 years. The salinity levels affected the height, diameter, area, and volume of plants canopy, number of new branches, number of new basal shoots, number of leaves per plant, total leaves area, leaf area index, leaf dry weight, leaves damage percentage at high temperature, amount of total chlorophyll, chlorophylls a and b, carotenoids, proline, total sugar, leaf anthocyanins, leaf phenols, and antioxidant activity significantly (P<0.01). Based on the results, B. vulgaris tolerated the salinity stress well. Despite the growth reduction at salinity levels above 9 dS.m-1, plant physiological resistance was observed through the production of secondary osmolytes and survival under saline conditions up to 12 dS.m-1. Accordingly, in suitable barberry production habitats, it is possible to take advantage of water resources and saline soil to grow seedless barberry, especially to increase phenolics, by ture management of the root environment and control of the saturated soil extract salinity up to 12 dS.m-1.