Salt Tolerance of Xylocarpus mekongensis Pierre: Survival and Growth of Seedlings, Nutrients and Carbon Distribution in Seedling Parts

Abstract

Xylocarpus mekongensis Pierre is the important tree species of the Sundarbans. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of salinity on the survival and growth of X. mekongensis seedlings. The distributional patterns of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and carbon in seedling parts were also examined in relation to salinity. Comparatively higher survival (95%) of seedlings was observed at non-saline to slightly saline conditions (0-5 PSU) and it was decreased to 78% at 35 PSU salinity. The relative growth rate (RGR) was higher at non-saline to slightly saline (0 to 5 PSU) conditions compared to higher salinity. Nutrients, sodium, and carbon concentration are found to vary significantly (p X. mekongensis has the capacity to tolerate higher saline condition but they grow well in non-saline to less saline conditions.