Growth, Fiber and Nitrogen Content in Sisal Plants (Furcraea sp) Under NaCl Salinity

Soil contains water and nutrients necessary for the development of cultivated plants and serves as a substrate and support in terrestrial ecosystems. For reasons inherent to the nature of soil, salt content can considerably limit the growth of plants. With the implementation of salinity-tolerant crops, saline soils can be transformed into productive and sustainable areas. In Tunja, Colombia, a trial was developed to quantify the changes in growth, water intake, fiber, nitrogen and chlorophyll content in Furcraea hexapetala plants exposed to NaCl saline conditions. Plantlets obtained from bulbs were grown in an aerated nutrient solution under greenhouse conditions. Measurements of 30, 60 or 90 mmol NaCl was added to the nutrient solution and control plants were left without addition of salt. As a consequence of salinity, leaf area, leaf area ratio, water uptake, absolute growth rate, relative growth rate, fiber content, dry matter, chlorophyll and nitrogen content in leaves were reduced. The accumulation of dry matter in leaves, stem and roots was especially affected when the plants were exposed to 90 mmol of NaCl. Accumulated dry matter increased in the stems, but reduced in the leaves. These results suggest that plants of Furcraea hexapetala can tolerate up to 60 mmol of NaCl (4.9 dS m⁻¹) without substantially affecting the parameters that determine the growth or the fiber content in the leaves.