Effect of Alternative Application of Saline Water on Evapotranspiration and Growth of Barhee Date Offshoots

Unscientific use of low quality water resources poses serious risks to plant growth and the environment. In order to investigate the possibility of alternative use of non-saline and saline waters, this research was carried out in a randomized complete block design with three replications on Barhee date offshoot at the Ahvaz region in 2017-2018. Experimental treatments were included irrigation with Karun River water, irrigation with saline water of 5 dS/m after twice irrigation with Karun River water, irrigation with saline water of 8 dS/m after twice irrigation with Karun River water, irrigation with Karun River water after twice irrigation with saline water of 5 dS/m, irrigation with Karun River water and twice irrigation with saline water of 8 dS/m and also, irrigation with saline water of 5 dS/m during the year. The plant annual evapotranspiration (1660.2 mm/ly) in treatment of irrigation with Karun River water that had significant difference with other treatments except irrigation with saline water of 5 dS/m after twice irrigation with Karun River water. The irrigation treatments had significant effect on all date offshoot vegetative attributes including number of leaves, leaf length, leaf width, number of leaflets, leaflet length, leaflet width and trunk girth. The results showed that alternative irrigation with saline water of 5 dS/m after twice irrigation with Karun River water can be used as a management practice for irrigation of Barhee date offshoots.