RESPONSE OF CHICKPEA TO NITROGEN SOURCES UNDER SALINITY STRESS

Abstract

In vitro‐grown Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. cultivars Bright Golden Anne, Deep Luv, and Lucido were exposed to elevated mannitol, sucrose, or sorbitol concentrations to see if their response to this osmotic stress mimics that of in vivo plants enduring water deficit. The relative efficacy of the three osmotic agents at manifesting a response was also evaluated. Tissue osmolarity paralleled media mannitol and sorbitol concentration for all three cultivars. Shoot growth correspondingly decreased with increased osmolarity applied during the rooting phase. These responses generally resembled those of water‐stressed greenhouse plants. The degree of response varied with cultivar; ‘Lucido’ was the most sensitive and ‘Bright Golden Anne’ the least. Sucrose (metabolized by the plants) failed to elicit consistent osmotic stress symptoms; instead it enhanced both shoot and root growth. In vitro stress‐induced symptoms were produced in both proliferation and rooting stages, but consistent shoot growth reduction with increasing levels of incorporated osmotic agent was only observed during rooting. Plants did not retain the osmotic adjustment when they were subsequently subcultured from the stress treatments back to the control medium.