Effect of Saline Water Irrigation and Growing Media on Growth, Physiological and Mineral Parameters of Clove Pink Dianthus Caryophyllus

Soil salinity is one of the major environmental factors limiting plant growth and development; and it is considered a problem in arid and semiarid regions, where rainfall is insufficient to leach salts. The clove pink, Dianthus caryophyllus L. is a major product in Jordan with different irrigation needs and has the capacity to cope with water deficit. Consequently, the current study aimed at investigating the effect of salinity on certain growth, physiological and mineral parameters of two varieties of D. caryophyllus (Bizet Sagr and Grand Slam Hygr). The experiments were conducted under greenhouse conditions at the University of Jordan during the 2015/2016 growing season. The plants were grown in either soil or zeolitic tuff at five salinity levels. The results indicated that the growth parameters of both D. caryophyllus varieties vary significantly among the different salinity levels in both growing media. Increasing salinity caused a significant reduction in plant height, fresh and dry weights, flower length and diameter, and a delayed flowering time. Increasing salinity level caused also a significant reduction in leaf greenness, fluorescence yield, and relative water content, and increased stomatal resistance of both plant varieties in both growing media. Increasing salinity level caused a significant increase in Na and Cl, and a decrease in K, P, and N concentrations in plants of both tested varieties and media. In conclusion, salinity caused a significant effect on all tested growth, physiological and mineral parameters of D. caryophyllus. An appropriate irrigation regime should be used as a key to success in ornamentals’ growth control.