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Atriplex polycarpa: I. Germination and Growth as Affected by Sodium Chloride in Water Cultures¹

Atriplex polycarpa (Torr.) S. Wats. (desert saltbush) seed was found to have the same general range of salt tolerance during germination as the Australian saltbushes. Germination was severely reduced by solutions having osmotic potentials of —4.2 atmospheres or less. Growth of established seedlings, although reduced, was not inhibited by solutions having osmotic potentials of —25 atmospheres. Dry weight of plants in a given NaC1 solution varied among populations indicating some populations are more salt tolerant than others. Root growth was somewhat correlated to top growth, however, salt restricted top growth more than root growth resulting in increased root/top ratios as the level of salinity increased. Only the highest concentration of NaCI used reduced 0root length. There was no correlation between percent moisture in top growth of desert saltbush and the osmotic potential of the water culture. Desert saltbush was found to be extremely tolerant of NaC1 when grown under the conditions of this study.

Key Words: Salt tolerance • Desert saltbush

² Graduate student and Professor of Agronomy, Department of Agronomy, University of California, Riverside 92502.

Received for publication October 20, 1968.