Water potential, biochemical indicators and yield of sugarcane irrigated with brackish water and leaching

Abstract

Knowledge on the water relations and biochemical responses of plants has been pointed out as important for selecting genotypes that are tolerant to abiotic stresses, such as drought and salinity. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the leaf water potential, enzymatic activity and yield of sugarcane (RB 92579) irrigated with brackish waters and leaching fractions. The study was conducted from November 2016 to November 2017 in Recife, PE, Brazil. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 5 x 2 factorial scheme, with four repetitions. Treatments consisted of five irrigation water salinity (0.5; 2.0; 4.0; 6.0 and 8.0 dS m-1) and two leaching fractions (0 and 0.17), corresponding to 100 and 120% of crop evapotranspiration. The values of irrigation water salinity were obtained by adding NaCl and CaCl2 at molar proportion of 1:1 (Ca:Na) to water from the local supply (ECw = 0.5 dS m-1). Readings of leaf water potential (Ψw) were taken at predawn, and +3 leaves were collected for the determination of catalase and ascorbate peroxidase activity at 90, 150, 210 and 270 days after planting. Yield was determined at 365 days after planting. Increase in water salinity reduced leaf water potential and yield, and increased the activity of catalase and ascorbate peroxidase, and the leaching fraction of 0.17 was able to reduce the deleterious effects of salts on plants.

Assessment of Brackish Water Usability for Irrigating the Coastal Sugarcane Fields under the Background of Saline Intrusion

“…In recent years, the MBF for irrigating in agriculture, especially the CCRs has become one of the encouraging solutions to alleviate the IW D (Al-Dalain, 2020; Khandakar et al, 2018). As one of the abundant water resources, brackish water has become an important irrigation source in various coastal regions of the world (Anízio et al, 2020). The utilization of brackish water resources is, therefore, considered an important solution to alleviate the shortage of freshwater (Anízio et al, 2020;Lira et al, 2018).…”

“…As one of the abundant water resources, brackish water has become an important irrigation source in various coastal regions of the world (Anízio et al, 2020). The utilization of brackish water resources is, therefore, considered an important solution to alleviate the shortage of freshwater (Anízio et al, 2020;Lira et al, 2018). Currently, there are three main approaches to utilizing brackish water for irrigating include all brackish water irrigation, the MBF and alternating fresh-brackish water irrigation (de Carvalho et al, 2015;Wang et al, 2019).…”

“…As a recognition of the importance of using brackish water for irrigation in the CCRs where fresh water is becoming scarce (Knox et al, 2010;Vu et al, 2018), scholars have explored the studies regarding the utilization of brackish water for agricultural irrigation (Farid et al, 2017;Rahman et al, 2015). For example, Anízio et al (2020) studied the relationship between biochemical indicators and the yield of sugarcane RB 92579 variety in Recife, Brazil. A study on the MBF to irrigate sugarcane was explored at the Lysimetric Station of Irrigated Agriculture by Lira et al (2018).…”