ISHS Acta Horticulturae 99: Symposium on Substrates in Horticulture other than Soils In Situ
EFFECT OF IRRIGATION WATER SALINITY ON POSTHARVEST PERFORMANCE OF CYCLAMEN GROWN ON ROCK WOOL AND POTTING COMPOST |
| Author: | R. Arnold Bik |
| Abstract:
The effect of four levels of salinity of the irrigation water on plant performance of cyclamen grown on rock wool and potting compost was studied in a trial that included thirteen weeks of postharvest life. To obtain varying irrigation water salinity, salts similar to those in surface water were added to desalinized water in increasing amounts. After adding nutrients, the electrical conductivity (EC) of the four waters was 2.0, 2.8, 3.6 and 4.3 mS/cm at 25 °C, while the chloride contents were 0, 160, 320 and 480 mg/1. At the marketable stage, plant quality showed a slight decrease at an irrigation water salinity higher than 2.8 mS/cm. So did plant fresh and dry weight at the end of the experiment, only more so. Neither weekly flowering performance nor flower yield over the entire postharvest period showed a significant response to irrigation water salinity. Irrigation water salinity was increasingly deteriorative to leaf colour and new bud formation. Analytical data of both root medium and plant tops reflected clearly increasing levels of irrigation water salinity. Mineral contents of the plant suggest that beside osmotic effects, too high a pH and excess of sodium and chloride contribute to the salt injury occurring in the trial. Finally, the present study focused attention on the risk of unfavourable postharvest conditions in promoting rapid build-up of salts, thereby enhancing the detrimental effects of irrigation water salinity on plant performance. | |
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