Effect of Saline Water on Growth, Yield and Ions Content in Spinach Genotypes
Effect of Saline Water on Growth, Yield and Ions Content in Spinach Genotypes
Saleem Maseeh Bhatti1*, Aslam Khan Gadehi1, Inayatullah Rajpar1, Muhammad Nawaz Kandhro2, Mukesh Kumar Soothar1 and Zohaib Ur Rehman Bughio1
ABSTRACT
A greenhouse experiment was executed to quantify the response of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) genotypes (English and Sindhi) against a range of NaCl salt-waters (EC 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 8.0 dS m-1) and canal water (EC 0.3 dS m-1). Spinach plants were irrigated with defined EC levels at 80% field capacity of a clay loam, non-saline soil. Results indicated that the growth and yield parameters of spinach genotypes were constantly decreased with an increase in EC levels of irrigation water. The plants irrigated with EC 6.0 and 8.0 dS m-1 had less fresh weight of leaves (> 30%) than the plants that were irrigated with canal water. English spinach significantly produced more fresh weight of leaves (20.86±0.50 grams) than Sindhi spinach (18.82±0.27 grams). The concentration of Na+ increased up to 3.4 times and Cl- concentration enhanced up to 2.7 times in leaves of spinach genotypes while no profound effects on K+ concentration in leaves was observed. English spinach accumulated significantly more Na+ and Cl-, and less K+ than Sindhi spinach. In soil, the EC, extractable Na+ and soluble Cl- concentrations were greatly increased as a function of saline waters. Our findings suggest that the selected spinach genotypes may be irrigated with salt-water (up to 4 dS m-1) for an acceptable level of yield reduction (≤ 27%), however more preference be given to English spinach in saline environment.
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June 2021
Vol. 7, Iss. 1, Pages 1-205
