Growth ability of mango cultivars irrigated with saline water.
Morsy M. H.
Author Affiliation: Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
: 475-482
Abstract : Young mango plants of cultivars Alphonso, Taimour, Ewaise, Hindy Bisinnara and Zebda were irrigated with saline water at 0, 15, 30 or 45 mM NaCl to evaluate their growth ability under different salinity conditions. Nutrient solution salinity severely affected plant growth of all mango cultivars especially at its highest concentration (45 mM). Water salinity caused a significant reduction in stem thickness, number of leaves per plant and average leaf area. Root and shoot dry weight was decreased with increasing salinity in all cultivars, while root:shoot ratio was not affected. Negative salinity effects on the growth of all mango cultivars appeared at 30 mM or higher. Some of tested growth parameters of Alphonso were obviously affected with the least concentration (15 mM) of salinity, while salt symptoms occurred later (45 mM) with Zebda. Leaf chlorophylls a and b were measured three times during the season. Their degradation rate occurred rapidly with Alphonso, moderately with Taimour, Ewaise and Hindy Bisinnara, and slowly with Zebda. Based on the results, Zebda mangoes are the most tolerant to salinity, while Alphonso mangoes are the most sensitive.