Saline water irrigation managements on growth of ornamental plants

ABSTRACT Biosaline agriculture is an option for using waters with lower quality. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the growth of ornamental species under irrigation with increasing water salinity levels in two methods of water application. The study was conducted in a greenhouse, in the municipality of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. The treatments were distributed in randomized blocks in split plots, with six levels of water salinity in the plots (0.6 - control, 1.2, 1.8, 2.4, 3.0 and 3.6 dS m-1), two methods of water application in the subplots (localized and sprinkler irrigation) and four ornamental species in the sub-subplots (Catharanthus roseus, Allamanda cathartica, Ixora coccinea and Duranta erecta), with four replicates. Increase in irrigation water electrical conductivity reduced the growth of the studied ornamental species. It was not possible to establish an ideal method for irrigation of ornamental species. Effects of non-localized irrigation on leaf growth were more evident in the species C. roseus and D. erecta, which showed higher specific leaf area.