Response to salinity in Glycine. 3. Dry matter accumulation in three Australian species and G. javanica

Abstract

In glasshouse solution culture the growth and response to salinity of three native Australian Glycine species, G.falcata Benth., G. tomentella Hayata, and G. tabacina (Labill.) Benth., and two varieties of the introduced species G. javanica L., Cooper and Tinaroo, were compared. Seedlings with five trifoliate leaves received ten days of salinity stress and were then returned to basal nutrient. In the salt-free treatment all species grew well although the relative growth rate of the javanica varieties was slightly higher than the native species. Nevertheless, the yield of G. falcata and G. tomentella was comparable to that of the lavanica varieties ; G. tabacina, however, yielded poorly. The native species also differed from the javancca varieties in seed weight, time trends in distribution of dry matter, and flowering. Yield and relative growth rate declined with increasing salt concentration in all species, and, on return to basal nutrient, recovery in relative growth rate was delayed roughly in proportion to the severity of the previous salt stress. G. javanica var. Cooper was more salt tolerant than G. fomentella, and G. tabacina, and was also the most productive plant at all levels of salinity.