EFFECTS OF SALINITY AND WATER STRESS ON ECHOPHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND MICRONUTRIENTS CONCENTRATION OF POMEGRANATE (PUNICA GRANATUM L.)

In order to study the effects of salinity and drought stress on echophysiological parameters and micronutrients concentration of pomegranate leaves, a factorial experiment was conducted based on completely randomized design with 0, 30, and 60 mM of salinity levels of sodium chloride and calcium chloride (1: 1) and three irrigation intervals (2, 4, and 6 days) with three replications on 'Rabab' and 'Shishegap' cultivars of pomegranate. The results analysis of shoot and root indicated that the water salinity and drought affected the concentration of iron (Fe2+), zinc (Zn2+), copper (Cu2+) and manganese (Mn2+) in pomegranate leaves and roots. Mineral concentration of zinc (Zn2+), copper (Cu2+) and manganese (Mn2+) in roots and manganese (Mn2+) in shoot was increased with increasing salinity. Drought treatments decreased the concentration of Zn2+ in the shoot and increased Zn2+ in roots. Both cultivars showed significant differences in the Fe2+ concentrations of shoot, however the most accumulation of Fe2+ was observed in 'Shishegap' cultivar.