Effect of rock salt on development of Karanda leaves

Abstract

Growing salt-tolerant or salt-preference crops were a good way to rehabilitation saline soils in crop production. The effect of rock salt on development of Karanda leaves were evaluated. Karanda leaves are available throughout the year. It also had the medical properties such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. Six concentration of rock salt consisting of 0, 0.15, 0.29, 0.44, 0.58 and 0.73% with four leaves developing stages such as leaflet, early mature, mature and late mature leaf were examined. The result founded that Karanda plant could tolerate to salinity from rock salt concentration at 0.29%. High concentrations of rock salt (≤0.29%) was not effected to the days to bud burst and four stages of leaves unfolding and some morphological traits such as leaf width, leaf length, leaf area, leaf fresh weight, specific leaf area and L* value but it effected to a* value, b* value and SCMR. The results of this study can be used as an alternative way for salinity soil utilization of farmers and also increasing the planting area of Karandas.