Spinach Plants Favor the Absorption of K+ over Na+ Regardless of Salinity, and May Benefit from Na+ When K+ is Deficient in the Soil.

ABSTRACT: Two spinach (Spinacea oleracea L.) cultivars were evaluated for their response to deficient (0.25 mmolc L-1 or 0.25 K) and sufficient (5.0 mmolc L-1 or 5.0 K) potassium (K) levels combined with salinities of 5, 30, 60, 90, and 120 mmolc L-1 NaCl. Plants substituted K for Na proportionally with salinity within each K dose. Plants favored K+ over Na+, regardless of salinity, accumulating significantly less Na at 5.0 K than at 0.25 K. Salinity had no effect on N, P, and K shoot accumulation, suggesting that spinach plants can maintain NPK homeostasis even at low soil K. Ca and Mg decreased with salinity, but plants showed no deficiency. There was no Na+ to K+ or Cl- to NO3- competition, and shoot biomass decrease was attributed to excessive NaCl accumulation. Overall, 'Raccoon' and 'Gazelle'

SUBMITTER: Ferreira JFS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7238157 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature