Abstract
ABSTRACT Castor bean is an oilseed crop which is able to adapt to various edaphoclimatic conditions and has considerable contents of oil in its seeds, with potential for use in the castor oil industry. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate changes in membrane damage, water status and gas exchanges in castor bean plants (cv. ‘BRS Energia’) in response to irrigation water salinity and cationic composition. Randomized blocks were used to test six cationic compositions (S1 - Control; S2 - Na+; S3 - Ca2+; S4 - Na+ + Ca2+; S5 - K+ and S6 - Na+ + Ca2+ + Mg2+), in four replicates. Plants in the control treatment were subjected to irrigation using water of low electrical conductivity (S1 - ECw = 0.6 dS m-1), whereas those in the other treatments were irrigated using 4.5 dS m-1 water prepared with different cations. Higher leaf succulence associated with lower water saturation deficit is an indication of tolerance to salt stress in castor bean plants irrigated with K+-rich water. The presence of Na+ in irrigation water caused the highest water saturation deficit in castor bean leaf blades. The lowest damage in cell membranes was observed in plants irrigated with Ca2+-rich water. The damaging effect of salt stress on castor bean gas exchanges depends on the cationic composition of water and occurred in the following order: Na+>Na++Ca2+>Ca2+> Na++Ca2++Mg2+>K+.
Highlights
Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) is an oilseed crop with potential for economic exploitation in the Brazilian northeastern semi-arid region, due to its rusticity, adaptation to adverse climate and soil conditions, fast growth, high production and various possible applications of its products and byproducts in the castor oil industry and agriculture (SILVA et al, 2009b), which are used in the production of paints, cosmetics, soaps, varnishes, adhesives, fungicides, insecticides and even prostheses and implants (RODRIGUES et al, 2009)
The higher leaf succulence associated with lower water saturation deficit is an indication of tolerance to salt stress in castor bean irrigated with K+-rich water
The presence of Na+ salts in irrigation water leads to the highest water saturation deficit in the leaf blade of castor bean cv
Summary
Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) is an oilseed crop with potential for economic exploitation in the Brazilian northeastern semi-arid region, due to its rusticity, adaptation to adverse climate and soil conditions, fast growth, high production and various possible applications of its products and byproducts in the castor oil industry and agriculture (SILVA et al, 2009b), which are used in the production of paints, cosmetics, soaps, varnishes, adhesives, fungicides, insecticides and even prostheses and implants (RODRIGUES et al, 2009).Brazilian castor bean production in the 2017/2018 season was 16.2 thousand tons of grains, with an average yield of 478 kg ha-1 in 33.9 thousand hectares of planted area. Despite its importance, cultivated areas especially in the Brazilian northeastern semi-arid region are subject to agro-climatic variations with common occurrence of high temperatures, high rainfall levels, irregular rainfall distribution and high evapotranspiration rates in most of the year, all contributing to the scarcity of surface waters (NOBRE et al, 2011). In this region, the salt concentrations in water which affect plant growth and development vary and the effects on crops depend, among other factors, on both the total concentration and ionic composition of irrigation water
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