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Effects of Sodium Chloride on the Sago Pondweed

1965; Wiley; Volume: 29; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/3798562

1937-2817

James W. Teeter,

Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment

Sago pondweed plants (Potamogeton pectinatus) at several stages of growth were subjected to various NaCl solutions to determine the influence of the NaC1 concentrations on the plant growth and reproduction. Data obtained indicated that the tap water treatment produced maximum vegetative growth and seed production. Increasing NaCl solutions produced a proportional adverse effect upon the vegetative growth and seed production, but a NaCl concentration of 3,000 ppm stimulated the pro- duction and growth of tubers. Saline conditions above 9,000 ppm NaCi completely inhibited the growth of 1-week-old plants. Plants which were 4-8 weeks of age could produce new growth in NaCI concentrations of 12,000 ppm, but a concentration of 15,000 ppm reduced growth completely and proved fatal to many plants. The tap water treatment was shown to produce the maximum seed ger- mination success, and a NaCl concentration of 3,000 ppm reduced the germination success by 50 per- cent. Concentrations above 15,000 ppm NaCl inhibited germination, but a 15 percent germination success could be obtained if the seeds were placed in tap water following the NaCl treatment for 28 days. Sago pondweed tubers exposed to NaCl concentrations of 3,000 ppm produced more new growth and more rhizome shoots than the tubers in any other treatment, indicating that the tubers obtained some beneficial effect from the low saline environment. This paper reports the results of a so- dium chloride tolerance study on one of the most important waterfowl food plants, the sago pondweed. The study investi- gated the influence of NaCL on seed ger- mination, tuber growth, plant growth, tuber production, and seed production to obtain information concerning the minimum needs and quality of water which is acceptable for good sago pondweed production. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1955: 14) reports that Utah possesses 83,686 acres of inland saline marsh and 51,751 acres of inland open saline water. The available water for these marsh areas range from fresh flood water during the spring to waters of high total salt content during late summer. When water supplies are limited, these marsh areas may become inundated with saline water containing from 6,000 ppm to 33,000 ppm total dis-