Nutritional status of Galia melon plants irrigated with saline water in different soils

Abstract

The experiment was conducted in 2014, in a completely randomized factorial design (5x6), with three replications. The factors were soil classes (Typic Ustipsamments, Typic Haplustults, Typic Haplustepts, Typic Ustifluvents, and Typic Haplusterts) and levels of irrigation water salinity (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 dS m-1). Increasing salinity of irrigation water caused increase in leaf contents of macronutrients in all soils. Adequate leaf contents of N, K, and Mg were observed in plants grown in all soils except K in Typic Haplusterts and Mg in Typic Ustipsamments. Appropriate P levels were observed only in Typic Haplustepts, and Ca only in Typic Haplustults and Typic Ustifluvents. Increased salinity of irrigation water caused increased leaf contents of micronutrients in all soils except copper in Typic Ustifluvents, iron in Typic Haplusterts and Typic Haplustults, and manganese in Typic Ustipsamments and Typic Haplustults.