The effect of sodium chloride induced salinity and boron of irrigation water on yield and concentration of macro nutrients in purslane

With increasing the population of the world and demand for more food, utilization of saline soils, which include covers a large area of the arid and semiarid regions, is inevitable. Purslane is a halophyte and annual herbaceous plant that grows well in saline soils. Boron (B) is an essential element in plants. According to the extent of saline land in Iran, Purslane has the potential as a medicinal plant, vegetable and forage to be cultivated in saline soil and water resources. To evaluate the effects of sodium chloride (NaCl induced salinity and B levels of irrigation water on growth and nutrient absorption of purslane, a factorial experiment was based on a completely randomized design with 35 treatments and three replications and total of 105 units was conducted in the greenhouse. NaCl induced salinity and B levels of irrigation respectively water were 0.5 as control, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 dS/m and 0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 mg/l, respectively. The results showed that with increasing NaCl induced salinity up to 2.5 dS/m, wet and dry weight and the concentrations of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) increased in aerial plant part but higher levels of salinity reduced these characteristics. The concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in aerial part decreased with increasing NaCl induced salinity. With increasing B levels of irrigation water, wet and dry weight and the concentration of N, P, Ca and Mg in aerial plant part reduced; whereas concentration of P increased in aerial part of pursalne. According to the results of this study, Purslane cultivation is recommended in areas with relatively high salinity (2.5 dS. m -1) and B is low.