Respostas biométricas e fisiológicas de duas cultivares de feijão-de-corda sob irrigação com água salina e potássio no solo.

Abstract

The strength of the stress caused by salinity in crops will depend largely on the level of tolerance of plant species and ways to employed manegement The cowpea is an of economic importance crop, however has sensitivity to salinity. This way, objective was to assess the responses biometric, physiological na production of two cultivars of cowpea, subject to irrigation with saline water and doses of potassium. The Experiment was carried in a protected environment at the experimental area the Sector of Agrometeorology, Federal University of Ceará. The seeds used were two cultivars of cowpea (CE790 and CE104), which were subject to increasing salinity levels, used irrigation water with eletric conductivity (Eca) of 0,8; 2,2; 3,6 and 5,0 dS m-1 and increasing doses of potassium using 0,5; 1,0; 2,0 and 4,0 g pot-1 of potassium chloride. After collect the data was submitted to statistical analysis. The increase in the salinity in irrigation water did not impair to root growth of cultivars, however, the leaf área linearly reduced to each increase saline. The cultivar CE104 had highest inhibition to accumulation of Na+ with the addition of potassium. Gas exchanges been affected the effect of the salinity. As potassium application there was less water loss and higher leach of Na+ in cowpea plants under stress.