Evaluation of the growth and status of some nutrients in pistachio seedlings treated with phosphorus under different levels of irrigation water salinity

Irrigation with saline water and poor quality and fertility of the soil are the most important factors limiting the growth, establishment, and yield of pistachio trees in many pistachio farming areas of Iran. In addition, phosphorus plays an important role in plant growth, especially under environmental stress conditions. Thus, the purpose of this experiment is to investigate the role of P use in improving the growth of pistachio seedlings at different levels of irrigation water salinity.

A greenhouse study was conducted as a factorial combination based on a completely randomized design with three replications. The treatments include two levels of P [Control (P0) and 30 mg kg-1 soil (P1) as triple superphosphate] and three levels of irrigation water salinity (0, 5, and 10 dS m-1).

Irrigation with saline water (10 dS.m-1) significantly decreased the shoot dry weight (94%), root dry weight (64%), leaf area (62%), plant height (35%), shoot and root P content (41% and 52%), shoot K content (40%) and shoot and root K/Na (85% and 28%) of pistachio seedlings. However, P application increased the growth parameters and the concentration of P and K elements in the pistachio seedlings shoot and root under water salinity stress.

Research limitations: 

No limitations were encountered.

Originality/Value: 

According to the results of this experiment, phosphorus application increased the growth of pistachio seedlings in saline condition. Therefore, according to soil and water salinity in pistachio farming areas of Iran, optimal nutrition with nutrients such as P can increase the tolerance of pistachio seedlings to salinity stress and their establishment.