ABSTRACT
The scarcity of good-quality water and the occurrence of low-fertility soils are limiting factors in irrigated agriculture, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, which leads to the use of salt water and nitrogen fertiliser as alternatives for agricultural production in these regions. The aim of this work therefore, was to evaluate growth, biomass production and rootstock quality in the guava 'Crioula' under salt stress and doses of nitrogen fertiliser in a protected environment at CCTA/UFCG. The experimental design was of randomised blocks in a 5 x 4 factorial scheme, with four replications. The treatments consisted of a combination of five levels of electrical conductivity of the irrigation water (0.3, 1.1, 1.9, 2.7 and 3.5 dS m-1) and four doses of nitrogen (70, 100, 130 and 160% of the recommended dose for guava seedlings). The dose of 541.1 mg N dm-3 soil (70% of the recommended N) stimulated growth, the accumulation of shoot biomass, and the quality of the guava 'Crioula' rootstock. Irrigation with an ECw greater than 0.3 dS m-1 had a negative effect on the absolute growth rate of the stem diameter, shoot dry matter, root to shoot ratio, and the Dickson quality index. Nitrogen fertiliser at 70 and 100% of the recommended level of N reduced the effect of irrigation water salinity on the relative growth rate of the stem diameter in the guava rootstock.
Key words:
Psidium guajava L.; Electrical conductivity; Plant nutrition
