Biomass, Protein Content and Cell Damage in Tanzania Grass Irrigated With Saline Water

Abstract

The scarcity of good water quality in semiarid region, combined with the high cost of pumping, has been the main limiting factor for increasing the irrigated area. The use of saline water for irrigation is a very common in semiarid zones, which can result in the soil salinization if irrigation management is not appropriated. To evaluate the biomass production, biochemical components and water consumption of Tanzania grass (Panicum maximum) irrigated with water salinity (1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 dS m-1) an experiment in greenhouse was carried out in the Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil. The variables dry matter, crude protein, ashes, cellular damage on leaves and consume water in the first and second cut of the grass were analyzed under completely randomized design with five treatments and six replications. Salinity water up to 6.0 dS m-1 can be used for irrigation of Tanzania grass plants, with small yield losses. Increased salinity reduces water consumption and increases the water use efficiency of Tanzania grass. Tanzania grass plants have increased protein content when subjected to saline stress, which is a mechanism of action to osmotic adjustment and allows the reduction of plant leaf damage in the second cycle.

Influence of salinity on the biometric traits of striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) cultivated under an integrated aquaculture-agriculture system

“…The amount of ash in the forage biomass was affected by salinity with higher values recorded in highly saline conditions (T2: 10,000 ppm and T3: 15,000 ppm). Our results are in agreement with previous studies on Panicum maximum [ 68 ], Sorghum bicolor [ 69 ], Bassia scoparia [ 70 ], Pennisetum glaucum (L.) [ 71 ], Melilotus albus and Medicago sativa (L.) [ 72 ]. Ash is indeed a representative of the concentration of nutrients in plant tissues and thus a potential index of forage quality [ 69 ].…”

Biomass and nutrient contents in Panicum maximum cultivars irrigated with fish farming effluent

“…The salinity of the effluent (3.0-3.65 dS m -1 ) associated with the restriction of the container used in the experiment intensifies the soil salinization process, causing delay in the expected biomass production. The literature shows that waters with electrical conductivity greater than 2.0 dS m -1 significantly reduce Panicum maximum biomass production, mainly due to specific ions such as Na + and Cl - (DIAS et al, 2019;PRAXEDES et al, 2019;SILVA et al, 2020). In the interaction between irrigation management and cutting times, the best biomass production was observed in grass irrigated with public-supply water and fertilized with NPK (IM2).…”

“…The values of biomass production for grass irrigated with public-supply water (IM1) and grass irrigated with fish farming effluent (IM3) were similar in all cuttings, except for the fourth, when the biomass production of grass irrigated with public-supply water (63.60 g pot -1 ) was higher than that obtained with irrigation with fish farming effluent (56.55 g pot -1 ) (Table 4). However, the literature has reported reductions in biomass production since the first cut (DIAS et al, 2019;PRAXEDES et al, 2019;SILVA et al, 2020). In this context, it is understood that prolonged irrigation with IM3 reduces the biomass production of P. maximum cultivars.…”

“…The high Na contents in P. maximum cultivars irrigated with fish farming effluent are due to the high Na concentrations present in the effluent, ranging from 16.1 to 17.02 mmol c L -1 (Table 2), thus influencing the biomass of the cultivars, especially Massai (Table 4). Thus, a careful management of drip irrigation is needed for using fish farming effluent in the cultivation of P. maximum cultivars, mainly with the use of a drainage system, since it poses risk of toxicity to plants, due to the high concentrations of Na and Cl ions, which may reduce biomass accumulation, as verified by other authors (DIAS et al, 2019;PRAXEDES et al, 2019;SILVA et al, 2020).…”

“…The reuse of lower-quality water can meet the water requirement of plants, increasing nutritional supply and reducing the environmental impact caused by the release of this nutrient-rich effluent into the groundwater (MOURA; LOPES; HENRY-SILVA, 2014). However, water salinity greater than 2.0 dS m -1 significantly reduces the biomass production of P. maximum, mainly due to specific ions such as Na + and Cl - (DIAS et al, 2019;PRAXEDES et al, 2019;SILVA et al, 2020).…”