Responses of Rat Root ( Raf.) Plants to Salinity and pH Conditions

Growth and physiological parameters were examined in rat root ( Raf.) plants grown under controlled environment conditions in hydroponics and subjected to different pH and salinity treatments to determine whether these environmental factors may contribute to poor establishment of in oil sands constructed wetlands. When plants were subjected to a root zone pH ranging from 6.0 to 9.5, the plants that were growing at pH 7.0 showed the highest relative growth rates and chlorophyll concentrations compared with lower and higher pH levels. The greatest inhibition of growth occurred at pH ranging from 8.0 to 9.5. High pH also triggered significant reductions in tissue concentrations of N, P, and microelements, whereas the concentrations of Mg increased at pH >8. When NaCl (25, 50, and 100 mmol L) was added to the nutrient solution at pH 7.0 and 8.5, higher mortality and greater tissue concentrations of Na and Cl were measured in plants growing at pH 8.5 compared with pH 7.0. The results show that plants growing at the optimum pH of 7.0 can better tolerate salinity compared with plants exposed to high root zone pH. Both pH and salinity may present important environmental constraints to growth and establishment of plants in oil sands constructed wetlands.