Soil Salinity Effects on the Morphology, Physiology and Nutritional Quality of Seed and Leaf Cultivars of Red Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus)
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- The challenges arising from soil salinity and the imperative of ensuring global food security are significantly influenced by global change. A viable approach to mitigate these challenges involves the cultivation of salt-resistant plants. Amaranths, distinguished by properties akin to cereals despite taxonomic distinctions, represent C₄ plants well-adapted to thrive under adverse environmental conditions. This study focused on four cultivars belonging to the Amaranthus cruentus species, comprising two recognized for leaf production and two for seed production. These cultivars, namely Locale and Rouge, and, Don Leon and Montana-5, underwent a two-month exposure to salt stress through watering a 75 mM NaCl solution, in a semi-controlled greenhouse environment. An extensive analysis encompassed the morphological and physiological at the whole-plant level, as well as nutritional aspects of seeds, across the cultivars. Despite the inclusion of both salt-resistant and salt-sensitive profiles, all four cultivars exhibited analogous responses to salt exposure, occasionally deviating from anticipated outcomes based on prior studies. Notably, various parameters such as plant height, leaf production, biomass, water potential, and photosynthetic efficiency were negatively impacted under salt-induced stress. This observation held true across all cultivars studied, potentially highlighting resilience in the face of challenging conditions. The findings of this study contribute valuable insights into the complex interplay between salt stress and the physiological responses of diverse Amaranthus cruentus cultivars, thereby enhancing our understanding of sustainable agriculture practices under changing environmental dynamics.