Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization on the Growth and Quality of Tamarind Seedlings Irrigated with Saline Water
Reynaldo Teodoro de Fatima *
Department of Agronomy, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Areia, Brazil.
Maria de Lourdes Gomes da Silva
Department of Science and Agri-Food Technology, Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), Pombal, Brazil.
Jackson Silva Nobrega
Department of Agronomy, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Areia, Brazil.
Reginaldo Gomes Nobre
Department of Science and Technology, Federal University of the Semi - Arid (UFERSA), Caraúbas, Brazil.
Pollyanna Freire Montenegro Agra
Department of Science and Agri-Food Technology, Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), Pombal, Brazil.
Francisco Romário Andrade Figueiredo
Department of Phytotechnology, Federal University of the Semi - Arid (UFERSA), Mossoró, Brazil.
Jean Telvio Andrade Ferreira
Department of Agronomy, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Areia, Brazil.
Márcia Paloma da Silva Leal
Department of Agronomy, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Areia, Brazil.
Fabiano Simplicio Bezerra
Department of Agronomy, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Areia, Brazil.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen fertilization on the production of Tamarindus indica L. seedlings irrigated with saline water.
Study Design: A randomized complete block design was used in a 4 x 4 factorial scheme, whose factors were the electrical conductivity levels of the irrigation water.
Place and Duration of Study: The work was conducted under protected environment conditions (greenhouse) at the Federal University of Campina Grande, Center for Agro-Food Sciences and Technology, Campus of Pombal-PB, Brazil, in the period from January and March 2017.
Methodology: Effects of doses of 0, 100, 200 and 300 mg of nitrogen (N) dm-3 and electrical conductivity levels of the irrigation water (ECw) (0.3, 2.1, 3.7 and 5.2 dS m-1) on growth of Tamarindus indica L. have been studied.
Results: The growth of the seedlings was reduced by the increase of the electrical conductivity of the irrigation water, however, irrigation with ECw water of 2.15 dS m-1, promotes acceptable reductions of 10% in the morphology of the tamarind tree.
Conclusion: The use of nitrogen fertilization with urea did not attenuate the deleterious effects of irrigation water salinity or promoted improvements of the quality of the tamarind seedlings.
Keywords: Tamarindus indica L., nitrogen fertilization, saline stress