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Effect of Soil Salinity on Water Potentials and Transpiration in Pepper (Capsicum frutescens)¹

Total leaf water potential, osmotic potential, turgor potential, and transpiration rate were measured on pepper plants irrigated with saline water having an osmotic potential of –2 bars. Results were compared with similar measurements on nonsaline treatments. Plants were allowed to extract water from the soil until the total water potential reached about –16 bars.

The difference between the leaf water potential and the soil water potential was the same for both treatments. The relation between the leaf water content and component water potentials was that predicted from the nonsaline leaves, assuming an osmotic adjustment in the saline leaves of –2 bars. No further adjustment due to concentration of the soil solution was observed. The relative transpiration rate was reduced at a much higher soil water content for the saline than for the nonsaline case.

² Plant Physiologist, Southwestern Irrigation Field Station, Brawley, Calif. 92227; Professor of Soil Physics, Department of Soils, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis. 53706; Laboratory Technician, U. S. Salinity Lab, Riverside, Calif. 92502.

Received for publication November 17, 1966.