Effects of Salt Stress on Growth and Flowering of Ornamental Annual Species

ABSTRACT

In 2008, a series of experiments were performed at the Institute of Ornamental Plants—Sofia in greenhouse conditions that tested the influence of salt stress on species of annual plants—Tagetes patula and Ageratum mexicanum. The plants were cultivated in pots under normal soil conditions and salt stress was induced by adding solutions with different concentrations of NaCl (0.4%, 1.2% and 2.0%). The following results were obtained:

•	The suppression of plant growth increases with the increase of NaCl concentration.
•	The plants, treated with NaCl, have earlier and shorter blooming period than non-treated plants.

Keywords:

• Ageratum L.
• flower
• growth
• NaCl
• Tagetes L.