The effect of increasing NaCl in irrigation water on growth, gas exchange and yield of tobacco Burley type

Despite the economic importance of tobacco, there is limited field study on the quantitative response of growth and yield to increasing soil salinity. The effects of irrigation with saline water on yield components of field-grown tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) "Burley" type plants were studied over two growing seasons. Growth, dry matter partitioning and gas exchange were measured either in rainfed or fully irrigated plants growing in a clayey-sandy-loam soil. The four fully irrigated treatments received amounts of saline waters at 0.54, 2.5, 5.0 or 10 dS m(-1) electrical conductivity (ECw) equal to crop evapotranspiration. In both years, the electrical conductivity of the saturation phase (ECe) across the 0.6 m topsoil profile increased with increasing salinity of the irrigation water. Soil moisture was markedly lower in the rainfed treatment than in fully irrigated treatments. Different saline concentrations of irrigation water had virtually no effect on soil moisture. Carbon assimilation rate, stomatal conductance and water use efficiency of the saline treatments were lower than the fully irrigated plants at 0.54 dS m(-1) (NW treatment) in 1996, but not in 1997. Transpiration rates were unaffected by salinity in both years. The highest yield was produced by plants irrigated with good quality water. The number of leaves per unit land area was greater for the NW plants, whereas there were no differences between the other four treatments. Salinity decreased plant dry matter and height at harvest, increased dry matter partitioning into leaves and decreased that into stems in both years. Dry matter partitioning to leaves was also greater for the rainfed plants than for the NW plants. Tobacco plants grown under field conditions showed a maximum reduction of relative yield at the highest salinity level of only 31 %. The threshold values (0.56 and 0.96 dS m(-1)) and the ECe at which a 10% yield reduction was obtained (3.12 and 2.55 dS m(-1)) calculated from the linear model of response of relative yield to increasing ECe were typical of moderately sensitive crops. The ECe values at which 50% yield was reduced (13.34 and 8.91 dS m(-1)) were indicative of moderate tolerance to salinity. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V All rights reserved.