Growth and quality of Handroanthus impetiginosus (Mart. ex DC.) Mattos seedlings irrigated with saline fish effluent

Abstract

Reusing wastewater for irrigation purposes is a sustainable approach for crop production in arid and semi-arid regions. Nevertheless, this technique requires further study on the response of plants to this type of water. This work aimed at assessing the growth and quality of Handroanthus impetiginosus (pink lapacho) seedlings irrigated with different concentrations of saline fish effluent. We used a randomized complete block design with four replicates and four plants per replicate. Treatments consisted of irrigation with five solutions containing different percentages of saline fish effluent diluted in tap water (0 [tap water], 25, 50, 75 and 100% fish effluent). At 60 days after transplanting, the effects of irrigation with saline fish effluent on the initial growth of seedlings were assessed based on shoot height, leaf number, stem diameter, shoot height/stem diameter ratio, leaf area, individual leaf area, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, root dry weight, total dry weight, Dickson quality index, shoot height/shoot dry weight ratio and shoot dry weight/root dry weight ratio. The use of saline fish effluent diluted up to 50% of the irrigation water proved to be a feasible and sustainable practice for producing H. impetiginosus seedlings, with no negative effects on total dry weight and Dickson quality index. However, higher concentrations of this effluent caused a significant reduction in shoot height and leaf area.