A preliminary study on the identification of salinity tolerance in different Cucurbitaceae crops
In order to evaluate the salt-alkali tolerance of bottle gourd,squash,melon,and watermelon under saline-alkali stress,and provide a scientific basis for the rational use of saline-alkali land and the breeding of salt-alkali resistant variet-ies,four cultivars-bottle gourd(Fengzhen 1),squash(Fengle Jinjia),melon(Jinlu 3),and watermelon(Zhongmi 1)were selected.Three types of salt-alkali solutions,namely single salt(NaCl),mixed salt-alkali( NaCl+Na2SO4+NaHCO3+Na2CO3),and mixed salt(KNO3+K2SO4),were used to treat the seedlings at 3 three-leaf-one-heart growth stage.The salt-alkali tolerance of the varieties was analyzed and identified through evaluation of the salt injury index and range anal-ysis.The experimental results showed that Zhongmi 1 was the most sensitive to concentration variations in single salt so-lution treatment,with the highest salt injury index at 200 mmol·L-1,while Fengle Jinjia was the least sensitive.For mixed salt-alkali solution treatment,Jinlu 3 was the most sensitive to concentration changes,with a significant increase in the salt injury index at 200 mmol·L-1,while Fengle Jinjia was the least sensitive.In the case of mixed salt solution treatment,Zhongmi 1 was the most sensitive,with a significant increase in the salt injury index at 200 mmol·L-1,while Fengle Jinjia was the least sensitive.Except for Zhongmi 1,the other three cultivars were sensitive to concentration differences in mixed salt-alkali solution.Squash exhibited strong salt-alkali tolerance and were suitable for cultivation in mildly to mod-erately saline-alkali land,while bottle gourd,melon and watermelon had weaker salt-alkali tolerance and not suitable for cultivation in saline-alkali land.These findings provide a scientific basis for the rational utilization of saline-alkali land and the breeding of salt-alkali resistant varieties.
WatermelonMelonSquashCucurbitSalt-alkali toleranceSeedling salt damage index