A goiaba é uma fruta de grande aceitação pelos brasileiros e é largamente produzida no Nordeste do Brasil, região com a presença de fontes de água que comumente apresentam elevadas concentrações de sais. Assim, a busca por técnicas que permitam o manejo dessas águas é de extrema importância para expansão da agricultura irrigada. Neste contexto, o ácido salicílico é um fitohormônio que pode contribuir na diminuição dos efeitos do estresse salino nas plantas. Diante do exposto, objetivou-se com este estudo avaliar o efeito da aplicação foliar de ácido salicílico em diferentes concentrações na mitigação do estresse salino sobre as trocas gasosas, o crescimento e a qualidade de mudas de goiabeira ‘Paluma’. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação, em Campina Grande - PB, utilizando-se o delineamento de blocos casualizados em arranjo fatorial 5 × 5, sendo cinco níveis de condutividade elétrica da água (0,6; 1,5; 2,4; 3,3 e 4,2 dS m-1) e cinco concentrações de ácido salicílico (0 - Controle; 0,8; 1,6; 2,4 e 3,2 mM), com quatro repetições e duas plantas por parcela. A aplicação foliar de ácido salicílico na concentração de até 1,4 mM reduziu os efeitos deletérios do estresse salino sobre a eficiência instantânea no uso da água das mudas de goiabeira ‘Paluma’ aos 180 dias após o semeio. As concentrações de ácido salicílico aplicadas via foliar não mitigaram os efeitos nocivos da salinidade da água de irrigação sobre o crescimento e a qualidade das mudas de goiabeira ‘Paluma’.
Palavras-chave: escassez hídrica; estresse abiótico; Psidium guajava L
Guava is a popular Brazilian fruit that is widely produced in Northeastern Brazil, a region with water sources that commonly have high concentrations of salts. Thus, searching for techniques that allow the management of these waters is extremely important for the expansion of irrigated agriculture. In this context, salicylic acid is a phytohormone that can contribute to reducing the effects of salt stress on plants. Given the above, this study evaluated the effect of foliar application of salicylic acid at different concentrations in the mitigation of salt stress on gas exchange, growth, and quality of 'Paluma' guava seedlings. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, in Campina Grande - PB, Brazil, using a randomized block design in a 5 × 5 factorial arrangement, corresponding to five levels of electrical conductivity of water (0.6, 1.5, 2.4, 3.3, and 4.2 dS m-1) and five concentrations of salicylic acid (0 - Control; 0.8, 1.6, 2.4, and 3.2 mM), with four replicates and two plants per plot. Foliar application of salicylic acid at a concentration of up to 1.4 mM reduced the deleterious effects of salt stress on the instantaneous water use efficiency of 'Paluma' guava seedlings at 180 days after sowing. The concentrations of salicylic acid applied via foliar did not mitigate the harmful effects of irrigation water salinity on the growth and quality of 'Paluma' guava seedlings.
Keywords: Abiotic stress, Psidium guajava L., water scarcity
Guava is a popular Brazilian fruit that is widely produced in Northeastern Brazil, a region with water sources that commonly have high concentrations of salts. Thus, searching for techniques that allow the management of these waters is extremely important for the expansion of irrigated agriculture. In this context, salicylic acid is a phytohormone that can contribute to reducing the effects of salt stress on plants. Given the above, this study evaluated the effect of foliar application of salicylic acid at different concentrations in the mitigation of salt stress on gas exchange, growth, and quality of 'Paluma' guava seedlings. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, in Campina Grande - PB, Brazil, using a randomized block design in a 5 × 5 factorial arrangement, corresponding to five levels of electrical conductivity of water (0.6, 1.5, 2.4, 3.3, and 4.2 dS m-1) and five concentrations of salicylic acid (0 - Control; 0.8, 1.6, 2.4, and 3.2 mM), with four replicates and two plants per plot. Foliar application of salicylic acid at a concentration of up to 1.4 mM reduced the deleterious effects of salt stress on the instantaneous water use efficiency of 'Paluma' guava seedlings at 180 days after sowing. The concentrations of salicylic acid applied via foliar did not mitigate the harmful effects of irrigation water salinity on the growth and quality of 'Paluma' guava seedlings.
Keywords: Abiotic stress, Psidium guajava L., water scarcity
