Effects of irrigation water salinity on water relations - growth and yield of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)
1994
Ruggiero, C. | Pascale, S. de | Barbieri, G. (Naples Univ., Portici (Italy). Dipartimento Scienze Agronomiche e Genetica Vegetale)
Since 1988 a research is carrying out to evaluate the long-term effects with increasing water salinity on a clay loam soil and some vegetable crops. In 1993, on eggplant cv. Mirabelle, drip irrigated every 5 days with water at 0%; 0.125%; 0.25%; 0.5% and 1% of commercial sea salt, the water status of leaves and roots and the growth of roots and aboveground plant parts were studied. Water potentials were measured after the first irrigation with saline waters (June) until the last harvest (September), by psychrometer using isopiestic technique. The results showed a consistent decrease in water potentials and osmotic adjustment arising from the highest water salinity, however these decreases were about 50% of the expected ones on the basis of the solution osmotic potential. Root density was affected by the 1% salt concentration since the first irrigation which stopped the root growth in the 0-30 cm soil layer. Irrigation with 0% and 0.125% salt gave higher but later root growth. Water salinity at 1% decreased the leaf area (50% of test plants), the growth of all aboveground plant parts and the water uptake. Marketable yield was 52.3 t ha sup(-1) with 0.125% water salinity and 19.6 t ha sup(-1) with 1% water salinity
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