Abstract
ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the tolerance of castor bean cultivars under salt stress during the initial growth stage. The experiment was set in randomized blocks, in a 5 x 4 factorial scheme, resulting in 20 treatments, 5 salinity levels (0.6-control, 1.2, 1.8, 2.4 and 3.0 dS m-1) and 4 castor bean cultivars (BRS Energy, LA Guarani, BRS Gabriela and IAC 028)] with 3 replicates. At 30 days after sowing, plants were evaluated for growth, dry matter accumulation and salt tolerance. Increased salinity levels in the water used for irrigation reduced the growth of all the studied cultivars. The salt tolerance of the studied castor bean cultivars follows the following order: BRS Energia > BRS Gabriela = IAC 028 > LA Guarani.
Highlights
IntroductionThe cultivation of oilseed species is an alternative for the support to family farming and one of the main alternatives for socioeconomic problems (Ramos et al, 2003; Severino et al, 2006)
Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.), belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family, is an oilseed crop with high socioeconomic value that has stood out for its rusticity and good adaptation to adverse conditions of climate and soil, high production and high content of oil in its seeds (Santos et al, 2011).The cultivation of oilseed species is an alternative for the support to family farming and one of the main alternatives for socioeconomic problems (Ramos et al, 2003; Severino et al, 2006)
Salinity problems in semiarid regions have increased along the years and water quality is one of the most limiting factors for crop development, since it affects plants from growth to production, because water is a component of plant tissues, constituting more than 90% of some plants
Summary
The cultivation of oilseed species is an alternative for the support to family farming and one of the main alternatives for socioeconomic problems (Ramos et al, 2003; Severino et al, 2006). Their cultivation occurs mainly in semiarid climate areas of Northeast Brazil, in which problems such as water and soil salinity are limiting factors for crop development (Medeiros et al, 2003). Water deficit and saline stress directly affect crop development, which requires the incorporation of strategies of irrigation management, fertilization and identification of materials tolerant to salinity in order to obtain satisfactory crop yields under semiarid conditions (Ayers & Westcot, 1999; Medeiros et al, 2007; Souza et al, 2007; Diniz Neto et al, 2009; Sá et al, 2013; Lima et al, 2014).
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