Does Phosphorus Fertilization Increase Biomass Production and Salinity Tolerance of Blue Panicum (Panicum antidotale Retz.) in the Salt-Affected Soils of Arid Regions?

Abstract

High soil salinity, drought, and poor soil fertility, especially phosphorus (P) deficiency, are serious challenges for crop production in arid and desert climate regions. In these regions, irrigation water (mostly groundwater) is saline, and fertilization is one of the strategies used to cope with salinity stress. Crop livestock is one of the major agricultural activities in marginal regions, and blue panicum (Panicum antidotale Retz.), the perennial forage grass, has the potential to furnish forage demand. Thus, a field experiment testing the combination of three levels of irrigation water salinity and three P rate was carried out to evaluate the potential of P fertilizer to enhance yield and salinity tolerance of blue panicum grass. The experiment was conducted for two years between 2019 and 2020 in Foum el Oued, Laayoune, Morocco. It was implemented in a split-plot design with three replications considering irrigation water salinity as the main plot and P rates as sub-plot treatments. The evaluated P rates were 0, 90, and 108 kg P2O5 ha−1 (P1, P2, and P3, respectively), and the irrigation water salinities were 5, 12, and 17 dS·m−1. The results revealed that increasing irrigation water salinity significantly decreased the biomass production and stomatal conductance of blue panicum. Increasing irrigation water salinity from 5 to 12 and 17 dS·m−1 decreased fresh biomass production by 20 and 29%, respectively. Irrigation water salinity also decreased (p < 0.05) leaf N, P, K, Ca, and Zn concentration. However, supplementation of P fertilization enhanced (p < 0.05) biomass production and stomatal conductance mainly by improving leaf OM, Zn, and Fe content. P fertilization at 108 kg P2O5 ha−1 increased fresh biomass by 27%, 32%, and 19% under 5, 12, and 17 dS·m−1, respectively. Considering increased fresh biomass yield, P application at the rate of 108 kg P2O5 ha−1 can be suggested for saline drylands. P application is recommended to reduce the adverse effects of high salinity on growth and productivity and improve salinity tolerance of blue panicum in salt-affected arid and desert regions.

Influence of cutting time interval and season on productivity, nutrient partitioning, and forage quality of blue panicgrass (Panicum antidotale Retz.) under saline irrigation in Southern region of Morocco

“…Their obtained results revealed no significant difference between the tested salinity levels in terms of biomass yield which indicate that the salinity tolerance threshold of blue panicgrass is probably beyond 10 dS.m -1 . In a recent study conducted under similar pedo-climatic conditions as the present experiment (Foum Eloued), Bouras et al (2022) reported that the annual fresh biomass yield was reduced by 18% and 25% under irrigation water salinity of 12 and 17 dS•m −1 , respectively, compared to the control.…”

Organic Amendments Improved the Productivity and Bio-Fortification of Fine Rice by Improving Physiological Responses and Nutrient Homeostasis under Salinity Stress

“…The effects of salt stress are increasing due to lower rainfall and higher atmospheric temperature, which are major reasons for lower productivity globally [3,4]. Soil salinity induces various Plants 2023, 12, 1644 2 of 16 negative impacts in plants ranging from reduction in germination to seedling vigor and vegetative growth [5,6]. Salinity stress also disturbs the plant's functioning and induces ROS production, which damage membranes, and proteins and causes a reduction in nutrient uptake and subsequent growth [5,7,8].…”

Nutritional content of pastures with phosphate fertilization in 2 calcareous soils

“…However, the decrease in Ca in this research differs from the findings of Freitas et al (2011) in Panicum maximum Jacq, who attributed the decrease in foliar Ca with the increase in the P dose due to the dilution effect when the plant is more fertilized. Bouras et al (2022), in Panicum antidotale at soil with a pH of 8.7, found no differences in foliar Ca concentration after applying between 0 and 108 kg/ ha of P in the form of P 2 O 5 .…”