Saline irrigation induced changes in growth, physiology and ionic relations in Kinnow budded on Jatti khatti and Sohsarkar

A pot culture experiment was conducted to examine the comparative performance of Kinnow budded on two seedling rootstocks, i.e., Jatti khatti and Sohsarkar under saline irrigation. One-year-old Kinnow plants budded on these rootstocks were irrigated with water containing 50, 75 and 100 mM NaCl or tap water (control, 0.0 mM NaCl). Results indicated pronounced effect of salt stress on different physiological parameters and ionic relations. The effect was more pronounced for both rootstocks at 100 mM NaCl stress with respect to leaf number, RWC and chlorophyll fractions. At 75 and 100 mM NaCl, higher reductions in the total chlorophyll content (12.43 and 15.85%) were recorded in Jatti khatti as compared to Sohsarkar rootstock. Kinnow scions on Jatti khatti rootstock accumulated 13.63 and 11.85% more Na⁺ and Cl⁻ at 75 and 100 mM NaCl stress than Kinnow scions on Sohsarkar rootstock. The increasing levels of NaCl concentrations inhibited the accumulation of N, P, K, and Mg in Kinnow leaves budded on Jatti khatti rootstock, while reduction of K and Ca was more in Kinnow budded on Sohsarkar rootstock at higher NaCl concentrations. We conclude that both rootstocks show potential for growing Kinnow mandarin where irrigation water salinity is ≤ 50 mM NaCl; Sohsarkar rootstock may be more suitable for use where NaCl concentration of irrigation water is ≥ 50 mM but less than (≤ 75 mM).