Author(s): ALVES, A. N.; SILVA, S. M. S. e; GHEYI, H. R.; BELTRÃO, N. E. de M.; SEVERINO, L. S.; SOARES, F. A. L.

Summary: With the objective to study the effects of five levels of electrical conductivity of the irrigation water (ECw: 0.7; 2.7; 4.7; 6.7 and 8.7 dS m-1, at 25 oC), on the initial growth and development of three cultivars (Nordestina, Paraguaçu e CSRN-367) of castor bean (Ricinus communis L.), an experiment was conducted (5X3 factorial), in a randomized design with 3 repetitions. The appraised variables were plant height, number of leavEs and stem diameter, twenty, forty and sixty days after seeding (DAS). There was no interactive effect of the factors, except for plant height and number of leaves. The plant height decreased with the increase of salinity, the relative decrease at 20, 40 and 60 DAS being, respectively of 8.68, 9.70 and 9.77% for unitary increment of Ecw. The number of leaves showed significant effect for the levels of ECw and the stem diameter decreased linearly with the increment of ECw above 0.7 dS m-1, the decrease being 7.63 and 7.91% for unitary increment of electrical conductivity of the irrigation water, 40 and 60 DAS, respectively.

Publication year: 2008

Types of publication: Paper in annals and proceedings

Unit: Embrapa Cotton

Keywords: Castor beans, Irrigation, Mamona, Oil plant, Salinity, Água Salobra, Água de Irrigação, Óleo Vegetal