Abstract
The production and growth of ornamental plants are markedly affected by water deficiency. Therefore, enhancing their yield during the drought period has become the main goal in plant breeding. Two Zinnia elegans L. cultivars (Short Stuff and Profusion) were employed in this investigation to determine the effect of salinity and drought tolerance on plant growth for translation to a salinity and drought tolerance breeding program. Four irrigation treatments based on F.C. of medina used, (T1= 40, T2= 60, T3= 80, and T4= 100% (control) of field capacity) under five salinity levels (electrical conductivity (EC) of 0.63 dS m-1 (control)), EC1= 1.6, EC2= 3.1, EC3= 6.3, and EC4= 9.4 dS m-1) were imposed throughout a 120-day growing period using a drip irrigation system. The vegetative growth yield and the flowering characteristics were determined and gas exchange measurements were recorded. All flowering and vegetative characteristics decreased as the level of deficit irrigation water increased. Both cultivars treated with 40% under EC3= 6.3 and EC4= 9.4 dS m-1 did not flower. Nonetheless, significant differences were found between the two cultivars for all characteristics, indicating that they could be considered when adjusting for salinity and drought tolerance. Profusion cv. displayed better performance than Short Stuff cv., when grown under 80% and 100% irrigation treatments and the salinity levels, except for 40% with EC3 and EC4 which did not result in flower yield. Leaf chlorophylls content (chl. a, b, and total) reduced with the increase in the salinity level and with increasing deficit irrigation water treatments. Content of leaf minerals, such as Ca2+, Na+, and Cl-, was also determined. For both cultivars, Ca2+ content decreased as irrigation salinity increased, while Cl- and Na+ contents increased as salinity increased in the plant tissue following irrigation.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Increasing deficit irrigation reduced flowering and vegetative traits in both Zinnia cultivars.
- Taxon
- ZINNIA ELEGANS L.t0
- Treatment
- deficit irrigation watere0
- Outcome
- flowering and vegetative characteristicse0
- Direction
- decreasede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“All flowering and vegetative characteristics decreased as the level of deficit irrigation water increased.”
t0“ZINNIA ELEGANS L. CULTIVARS”
Claim · model-written summary
Neither cultivar flowered at 40% field capacity with EC3 salinity.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Both cultivars treated with 40% under EC3= 6.3 and EC4= 9.4 dS m-1 did not flower.”
t0“ZINNIA ELEGANS L. CULTIVARS”
Claim · model-written summary
Neither cultivar flowered at 40% field capacity with EC4 salinity.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Both cultivars treated with 40% under EC3= 6.3 and EC4= 9.4 dS m-1 did not flower.”
t0“ZINNIA ELEGANS L. CULTIVARS”
Claim · model-written summary
The two Zinnia cultivars differed significantly across all measured characteristics.
Verbatim
e0“significant differences were found between the two cultivars for all characteristics”
t0“ZINNIA ELEGANS L. CULTIVARS”
Claim · model-written summary
Profusion performed better than Short Stuff under 80% and 100% irrigation and the salinity levels.
Verbatim
e0“Profusion cv. displayed better performance than Short Stuff cv., when grown under 80% and 100% irrigation treatments and the salinity levels”
Claim · model-written summary
Leaf chlorophyll content declined as salinity and irrigation deficit increased.
- Taxon
- ZINNIA ELEGANS L.t0
- Treatment
- salinity levele0
- Outcome
- Leaf chlorophylls content (chl. a, b, and total)e0
- Direction
- reducede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Leaf chlorophylls content (chl. a, b, and total) reduced with the increase in the salinity level and with increasing deficit irrigation water treatments.”
t0“ZINNIA ELEGANS L. CULTIVARS”
Claim · model-written summary
Leaf calcium content declined with rising irrigation salinity.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“For both cultivars, Ca2+ content decreased as irrigation salinity increased”
t0“ZINNIA ELEGANS L. CULTIVARS”
Claim · model-written summary
Leaf chloride content rose with irrigation salinity.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Cl- and Na+ contents increased as salinity increased in the plant tissue following irrigation.”
t0“ZINNIA ELEGANS L. CULTIVARS”
Claim · model-written summary
Leaf sodium content rose with irrigation salinity.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Cl- and Na+ contents increased as salinity increased in the plant tissue following irrigation.”
t0“ZINNIA ELEGANS L. CULTIVARS”
The same questions in other papers
salinity · molecular: metabolites · Zinnia elegans (garden zinnia)Results agree
1 paper in the same direction as this paper
- negative
irrigation · molecular: metabolites · Zinnia elegans (garden zinnia)Results agree
1 paper in the same direction as this paper
- negative
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.