Due to the limited availability of low salinity waters, the use of water of moderate to high salinity in agriculture is a close reality in the expansion of irrigated farms. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of irrigation with saline water, applied at different development stages of cowpea plants, on growth and nutrient uptake. The experiment was set up in the field during the dry season. A completely randomized block design, with five treatments and five replications was adopted. The treatments studied were: T1 - groundwater with electrical conductivity (ECw) of 0.8dS m-1 during the whole crop cycle; T2 - saline water (ECw = 5.0dS m-1) during the whole crop cycle; T3, T4 and T5 - saline water from 0 to the 22nd day after sowing (DAS), from the 23rd to the 42nd DAS and from the 43rd to 62nd DAS, respectively. The plants subjected to T3, T4 and T5 were irrigated with groundwater in the other stages of the crop cycle. At 8, 23, 43 and 63DAS plants were collected for evaluation of plant growth, Na, Cl, K, Ca, N, P, Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn contents and distribution in plant parts. The application of saline water during the whole crop cycle (T2) and during the germination and initial plant development (T3) caused, respectively, inhibition and retardation of plant growth. Cowpea plants removed the minerals in the following decreasing sequence: N > K > Cl > Ca > Na > P > Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu, but the continuous use of saline water (T2) reduced the total uptake of all nutrients, except for Na. The minerals Na, Cl, K, Ca, Fe and Mn were distributed preferentially in the vegetative parts of the plant, while most of the N and P were translocated to the pods.
Vigna unguiculata; plant growth; mineral uptake; salinity
