EFFECTS OF CALCIUM FORMS ON ELECTROLYTE LEAKAGE, TOTAL NITROGEN, YIELD AND BIOMASS PRODUCTION BY STRAWBERRY PLANTS UNDER NACL SALINITY

Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch.) plants cv. Selva was grown in soilless culture under greenhouse conditions to present the effects of application of supplementary calcium combined with nutrient solution on plants grown under NaCl (35 mmol) salinity. Treatments: (1) Commercial nutrient solution or control; (2) the addition of NaCl (35 mmol); (3) NaCl (35 mmol) + CaCl2 (5 mmol); (4) NaCl (35 mmol) + CaCl2 (10 mmol); (5) NaCl (35 mmol) + CaSO4 (5 mmol); (6) NaCl (35 mmol) +CaSO4 (10 mmol). Data showed that NaCl stress strongly decreased leaf and runner number, flower production, fruit set, shoot and root fresh weight, total yield and calcium contents of root. On the other hand, it was found that calcium salts had an impact on negative effects of NaCl stress on these variables and reduced it. These results showed that calcium sulfate was better than calcium chloride ameliorating the negative effects of NaCl salinity on this cultivar