Growth and production of basil in NFT hydroponic system under salinity/Crescimento e producao de manjericao em sistema hidroponico NFT sob salinidade

• Published in: Revista brasileira de engenharia agrícola e ambiental 2014-12, Vol.18 (12), p.1228
• Main Authors: Bione, Maria A.A, Paz, Vital P. da S, da Silva, Franceli, Ribas, Rogerio F, Soares, Tales M
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Subjects: Analysis; Aquatic resources; Electric properties; Electrical conductivity; Saline water conversion; Spice industry
• ISSN: 1415-4366
• DOI: 10.1590/1807-1929/agriambi.v18n12p1228-1234

The scarcity of good quality water in the Brazilian semiarid region has justified the growth of scientific researches on the use of brackish water. In the present study the effects of brackish water on growth and production of basil plants were evaluated in hydroponic system during October-November 2012. The treatments consisted of four levels of salinity (1.45, 3.80; 6.08 and 8.48 dS [m.sup.-1]) obtained by adding NaCl to the local fresh water, a control prepared with the fresh water (EC=0.29 dS [m.sup.-1]) and a reverse osmosis reject (EC=8.39 dS [m.sup.-1]) of a municipality in the semiarid region. Thirty six plots were randomized into six blocks. Data were analysed by analysis of variance and regression. There was a linear reduction in the production of fresh and dry matter of shoots (FMS and DMS) with increase in salinity, corresponding to respectively, 7.86 and 6.76% with per unit increase in electrical conductivity (dS [m.sup.-1]); there was no difference between NaCl and isosmotic water of desalination reject in reference to the production of FMS. The plant height and growth rate did not indicate the influence of salinity on basil. The brackish waters produced no damage symptoms in plants. Key words: Ocimum basilicum L. soilless cultivation water salinity No semiarido brasileiro a falta de agua de boa qualidade tem justificado o desenvolvimento de pesquisas cientificas no aproveitamento de aguas salobras. No presente trabalho avaliaram-se os efeitos de aguas salobras em relacao ao crescimento e a producao de plantas de manjericao em hidroponia, de outubro a novembro de 2012. Os tratamentos consistiram de quatro niveis de salinidade da agua (1,45; 3,80; 6,08 e 8,48 dS [m.sup.-1]) obtidos pela adicao de NaCl a agua doce local, de um tratamento controle com essa agua doce (0,29 dS [m.sup.-1]) e de um rejeito de osmose reversa (8,39 dS [m.sup.-1]) de um municipio do semiarido. Foram usadas 36 parcelas experimentais aleatorizadas em seis blocos. Os dados foram analisados mediante analise de variancia e de regressao. Houve reducao linear da producao de massa de materia fresca e seca da parte aerea (MFPA e MSPA), com o aumento da salinidade, de 7,86 e 6,76% por acrescimo unitario na condutividade eletrica da agua (dS [m.sup.-1]), respectivamente; nao ocorreu diferenca entre aguas isosmoticas de NaCl e rejeito de dessalinizacao em referencia a producao de MFPA. A altura de planta e a taxa de crescimento nao indicaram a influencia da salinidade no manjerica