Growth and total-N content of Prosopis juliflora (SW) D. C. are stimulated by low NaCl levels

in this study the early effects of salinity on growth, total n and ion accumulation and partitioning in prosopis juliflora (common name algaroba) were studied with 30-day-old plants grown for 8 days in aerated nutrient solution (ns) free of (control) or supplied with 25, 50, 75 and 100 mmol.l-1 nacl. plants grown in 25 and 50 mmol.l-1 nacl accumulated a total dry mass (dm) and shoot n content greater than the control. however, at 75 and 100 mmol.l-1 nacl such parameters were diminished. whole plant transpiration rates were higher with 25 and 50 mmol.l-1 nacl and lower with 75 and 100 mmol.l-1 nacl. salinity did not influence shoot (80%) and root (70%) water content (wc) but reduced the k+ content of shoot while that of root was not affected. increasing external nacl concentrations increased k+/na+ ratios of both plant parts. the data support the hypothesis that increase in transpiration rates and in shoot total n may account for growth stimulation of algaroba under mild salinity.