The coconut cultivation is growing in the Northeast Brazil with increase in productivity under irrigated conditions. Saline waters are commonly found in this region and considering the lack of data related to salinity on dwarf-green coconut (Cocos nucifera L.), this work had the objective of evaluating the effects of the irrigation with saline waters (ECw = 2.2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 dS m-1) on the germination and the initial growth of seedlings until 120 days after sowing (phase I), extending the evaluation, later, after transplanting in the nursery, when seedlings were irrigated with water of ECw = 2.2 dS m-1, for another 120 days (phase II), studying the residual effect of the applied salinity levels in the phase I. In both the experiments a completely randomized design was used with four replications. The saline waters were prepared with the addition of commercial NaCl. In the first phase, the increment of ECw did not influence the germination significantly, which varied from 80 to 97.5%, however, it affected the germination speed and the growth of the seedlings; in the germination phase the salinity affected the total phytomass starting from 5.4 dS m-1; the root system was the most affected variable by the water salinity. In the phase II, the plants germinated under conditions of high salinity when irrigated with water of 2.2 dS m-1 maintained the rhythm of growth similar to those germinated without saline stress.
Cocos nucifera; salinity stress; phytomass
