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Water Relations of Atriplex canescens as Affected by the Salinity and Moisture Percentage of Processed Oil Shale¹

Osmotic adjustment through ion uptake is believed to be an important plant mechanism for ameliorating osmotic stresses imposed by high salt concentrations in the soil solution. Differential growth responses of plants to various salts may be due at least in part, to differences in osmotic adjustment because of differential ion uptake. A greenhouse study was conducted to determine whether differences in growth of fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) in response to Na₂SO₄ and MgSO₄, the two major salts in processed oil shale, might be due to differences in the effects of the salts on osmotic adjustment or other aspects of plant water relations. Magnesium sulfate was more detrimental to the growth of Atriplex canescens than was Na₂SO₄ when added at equal osmotic concentrations to leached processed oil shale. Cation concentrations in leaves were greater in response to Na₂SO₂ than to MgSO₂. However, the osmotic and turgor potentials, determined from pressure-volume curves developed with a pressure bomb and analytical balance, indicated that no differences in osmotic adjustment occurred due to chemical composition of the added salts. Osmotic adjustment did occur in response to reduced moisture percentage of the processed oil shale. Differences in leaf diffusive resistance indicated that water stress was greater in MgSO₄-treated plants than Na₂SO₄-treated plants. Leaf size and succulence weregreater on Na₂SO₄-treated plants than MgSO₄-treated plants.

Key Words: Fourwing saltbush • Osmotic adjustment • Pressure bomb • Turgor • Water potential • Leaf resistance • Succulence

² Former research associate now senior reclamation specialist, Mined Land Reclamation Div., Colo. Dep. Natural Resources, 1313 Sherman St., Denver, CO 80203, and director, Institute for Land Rehabilitation, Utah State Univ., UMC 52, Logan, UT 84322.

Received for publication January 21, 1980.