Early growth of wheat is more sensitive to salinity than boron at levels encountered in alkaline soils of south-eastern Australia
J. G. Nuttall A D , R. D. Armstrong A and D. J. Connor B CA Department of Primary Industries, Private Bag 260, Horsham, Vic. 3401, Australia.
B Institute of Land and Food Resources, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic. 3010, Australia.
C Current address: Instituto de Agricultura Sostenible (CSIC), Apartado 4084, 14080 Córdoba, Spain.
D Corresponding author. Email: james.nuttall@dpi.vic.gov.au
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46(11) 1507-1514 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA04264
Submitted: 8 December 2004 Accepted: 24 June 2005 Published: 9 October 2006
Abstract
The early vegetative growth of 3 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars, Frame, BT Schomburgk and Schomburgk, was evaluated over a range of soil salinity and soluble boron (B) concentrations in pots. Additions of boric acid and mixed salts to a sandy clay soil produced extractable B levels of 2, 13, 24, 51 and 129 mg/kg and salinities (ECe) of 0.8, 8, 15, 23 and 29 dS/m. In both cases, the levels produced in the first 4 treatments corresponded well with those commonly observed in subsoils of the southern Mallee. Within the ranges tested, wheat cultivars had relatively greater tolerance to B toxicity than to salinity. Significant differences in tolerance also existed among the 3 cultivars for B, but not for mixed salts. For Frame, BT Schomburgk and Schomburgk, critical concentrations of soil soluble B were estimated at 53, 32 and 27 mg/kg, respectively, in the absence of salinity. For salinity tolerance, the 3 wheat cultivars could all tolerate an ECe up to about 9 dS/m equally well. In combination with B, salinity still dictated overall response in growth with the interactive effect of B being to increase sensitivity of plants at low levels of salt. Shoot B concentrations in Frame ranged from 15 to 947 mg/kg for increasing soil B treatments but these responses did not correlate well with growth reduction. Shoot Na contents ranged from 0.02 to 0.58%, but was not a reliable indicator of Na+ toxicity due to interactive effects of B: increasing B reduced Na+ uptake. Generally, differences in B tolerance among the cultivars highlighted the existence of genetic variation in adaptation of wheat to high levels of soil B; however, this does not appear to be the case for salt tolerance in wheat. Because high levels of B and salt usually co-exist in the field, plant tolerance to these limitations need to exist in combination.
Additional keywords: cereals, sodicity, toxicity.
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by DPI with support from the University of Melbourne. Birchip Cropping Group and Nufarm Ltd also provided financial assistance. Thanks also to Dr Vince Matassa for constructive comments on statistical and analytical approach in this research.
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