Salinity tolerance of red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) from southeastern Manitoba

Abstract

To test the hypothesis that red-osier dogwood cuttings from a more stressful edaphic environment (dry site) would have a greater salinity tolerance compared with cuttings from a less stressful environment (moist site) a greenhouse experiment was designed. Cuttings collected from three sites in southeastern Manitoba varying in edaphic conditions (moisture) were exposed to 0, 25, 50, or 100 mM NaCl in hydroponics. After four weeks of treatment, physiological parameters were measured. No differences in salinity tolerance were observed between the sites; nevertheless, this study supported previous results suggesting that red-osier dogwood can limit the transport of Na+ from the root to the shoot. To determine the presence of barriers to ion movement, the roots of red-osier dogwood exposed to NaCl were sectioned and observed using brightfield and fluorescence techniques. A modified outer cortical layer was observed suggesting the presence of an exodermis, which would be an additional barrier to Na+ and Cl- movement. Furthermore, the maturation of the endodermis and exodermis occurring closer to the root tip could also contribute to limiting the transport of Na+ to the shoot.