Effect of soil salinity on cold tolerance of mangrove Kandelia candel

Analysis of cold tolerance on mangrove Kandelia candel leaf growing in different soil salinity along Jiulong River Estuary in South China showed that the cold tolerance decreased as the increase of soil salinity. The lethal temperatures of K. candel leaf were -10.4, -9.9 and -8.6 ℃ in Liaodong, Baijiao and Aotou, respectively. Under 1–2℃ cold stress treatment on detached leaves of K. candel, their caloric value gradually decreased, while electrolyte leakage gradually increased. The leaf’s caloric value and electrolyte leakage in Aotou with higher soil salinity varied more largely than those in Liaodong with lower soil salinity. In K. candel leaf, total water content lowered a little, bound water content rose significantly and free water content dropped significantly with duration of cold stress. At the same time, reduction sugar, soluble sugar and starch content gradually decreased and sucrose content gradually increased. Bound water, free water and sucrose content in K. candel leaf from Aotou with higher soil salinity changed more slowly than those from Liaodong with lower soil salinity, but reduction sugar, soluble sugar and starch content in K. candel leaf from Aotou had faster variations than those from Liaodong. These data indicated that soil salinity can reduce cold tolerance of K. candel leaf by increasing negative effect of salt ions in cell membrane, inhibiting variations of water content, and aggravating consumption of material and energy.