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Salinity Effects on Photosynthesis and Growth in Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb. ¹

Department of Botany, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803

Alternanthera philoxeroides, alligator weed, was grown at five different NaCl concentrations to determine the effect of salinity on factors related to the net rate of CO₂ uptake (P_n). Over the range of 0 to 400 millimolar NaCl, P_n declined 51%. Stomatal conductance declined in parallel with P_n and as a result there was no reduction in intercellular CO₂ concentration and therefore no reduction in the amount of CO₂ available for photosynthesis. The CO₂ compensation point did not change with salt stress. Increases in leaf thickness tended to compensate slightly for the negative effects of salinity on leaf cell metabolism, at least in relation to P_n. On a mesophyll cell area basis, soluble protein was relatively constant in leaves developed at 100 to 400 millimolar NaCl while total chlorophyll decreased at all salinities. Dry weight production and P_n were closely correlated in alligator weed grown at different salinities. Plants produced less leaf area per unit dry weight as salinity increased, which may aid in water conservation.

¹ Supported by United States Department of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration, Competitive Research Grants Office Grant No. 59-2221-1-1-755-0 and a Department of Energy Institutional Agreement Program Grant through the Louisiana State University Center for Energy Studies.

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