scholarly journals Water and Nutrient Uptake Efficiency in Containerized Production of Fern Leaf Lavender Irrigated with Saline Water

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 742-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro García-Caparrós ◽  
Alfonso Llanderal ◽  
María Teresa Lao

The scarcity of water in the Mediterranean area has frequently led to the use of saline water for irrigation. Container grown ornamental production has relatively high rates of water and nutrient loss from fertigation. A better understanding of water and nutrient use efficiency with water that has elevated levels of saline could reduce runoff water and its environmental impact. Fern leaf lavender (Lavandula multifida) plants were grown for 8 weeks in plastic containers with a sphagnum peatmoss and perlite substrate (80:20 by volume) to evaluate the effect of saline water [2.0 (T1 or control), 4.5 (T2), or 7.5 (T3) dS·m−1] on water and nutrient uptake efficiency. Leachate was collected to determine runoff volume and composition which included nitrate-nitrogen (NO3−-N), phosphate-phosphorus (PO42−-P), and potassium (K+) concentration. Plant dry weight (DW) and nutrient content were determined in plants at the beginning and at the end of the experiment to establish the nutrient balance. Increasing salinity levels of irrigation water did not significantly reduce either the plant DW or the water use efficiency (WUE). Based on nutrient balance, the increasing salinity (2.0 to 7.5 dS·m−1) affected the plant nutrient uptake efficiency, which decreased 28% for N, increased 26% for P from the lowest to highest sodium chloride levels; whereas K did not show a clear trend. Nutrient runoff increased (28% N, 9% P, and 27% K) to the environment from the lowest to highest sodium chloride levels.

BMC Ecology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lizhu Guo ◽  
Jiahuan Li ◽  
Wei He ◽  
Li Liu ◽  
Ding Huang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Stellera chamaejasme L. is a poisonous plant widely distributes in degraded grasslands in China. The mechanism underlying its spread remains unknown. In some degraded grasslands, S. chamaejasme has gradually replaced previous dominant species, such as Leymus chinensis, Stipa krylovii, Artemisia eriopoda on typical steppes. Apart from its unpalatability by livestock, we hypothesized that the survival strategy (nutrient uptake and water use efficiency) of S. chamaejasme in degraded grasslands could be distinct from other coexisting species in the community. Recently, ecological stoichiometry has been suggested as a new approach for studying the demand for natural resources of plants in a changing world, and the leaf carbon isotopic composition (δ13C leaf) as a rapid and effective high throughput phenotyping method for water use efficiency (WUE), both of which can reveal the survival and adaptive strategies of plants. Therefore, in this study we aimed to fill the knowledge gap concerning ecological stoichiometry in the leaf, stem, and root of S. chamaejasme and its surrounding soil on grasslands with different degrees of degradation, and comparing the leaf nutrient content and δ13C of S. chamaejasme with the coexisting species (L. chinensis, S. krylovii, A. eriopoda) in the communities. Toward this goal, we conducted a field survey in which plants and soils were sampled from four different degraded grasslands on typical steppes in China. Results Our results showed that there is no significant difference of carbon content (C%) and nitrogen content (N%) in leaves of S. chamaejasme in different degraded grasslands, and all element contents and element ratios in stems did not differ significantly. Meanwhile, ecological stoichiometry of S. chamaejasme is distinct from the coexisting species, with low C%, high N% and phosphorus content (P%) in the leaf, indicating high nutrient uptake efficiency of S. chamaejasme in nutrient-poor environments like degraded grasslands. Additionally, S. chamaejasme showed significant higher WUE than other species. Conclusions Our results indicated that high nutrient uptake efficiency and high WUE of S. chamaejasme might together contribute to the spread of S. chamaejasme in degraded grasslands.


2010 ◽  
Vol 388 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 273-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Álvarez ◽  
Lorenzo Proia ◽  
Antonio Ruggiero ◽  
Francesc Sabater ◽  
Andrea Butturini

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 46-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Binny Dasila ◽  
Veer Singh ◽  
HS Kushwaha ◽  
Ajaya Srivastava ◽  
Shri Ram

Lysimeter experiment was conducted at Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar during summer season 2013 to study the effect of irrigation schedules and methods on yield, nutrient uptake and water use efficiency of cowpea as well as nutrient loss from silty clay loam soil under fluctuating water table conditions. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design having three irrigation schedules at IW/CPE ratio of 0.3. 0.2 and 0.15 with two irrigation methods (flood and sprinkler) and at 30±1.5, 60±1.5 and 90±1.5 cm water tables replicated thrice. Maximum root length (129.4 cm) and root length density (0.395 cm/cm3) were obtained when irrigation was scheduled at IW: CPE 0.3 associated with 30±1.5 cm water table depth using sprinkler method. Increase in water table depth and IW: CPE ratio decreased water use efficiency where IW: CPE 0.3 produced highest grain yield (1411.6 kg ha-1) with the WUE of 1.15 kg ha mm-1. Significant nutrients uptake response was observed owing to variation in water table depth, irrigation schedules and methods. Analysis of lysimeter leached water showed that with deep drainage and more IW:CPE, leaching losses of N,P and K were more however water applied through sprinkler saved 20.1, 53.7 and 24.4% N, P and K, respectively, over flooded method. Irrigation given at IW: CPE 0.3 through sprinkler form at 60±1.5 cm water table depth favours the higher grain yield and nutrient uptake by crop whereas flooded irrigation with deep water table condition accelerated nutrient leaching.SAARC J. Agri., 14(2): 46-55 (2016)


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document