Response of Yield, Growth Traits, and Leaf Nutrients of Garden Cress to Deficit Saline Irrigation Waters

Abstract

Food sustainability is continuously restricted by water shortage and poor water quality in water-scarce regions. In this study, a pot experiment was carried out under rain shelter conditions to quantify the impact of the different levels of water salinity on the yield, leaf nutrients, and growth traits of garden cress under different water-deficit levels. Twelve treatments included three water-deficit (WD) levels (I-0, I-1, and I-2 indicating 100, 80, and 60% of field capacity, respectively) in combination with four saline irrigation water levels (IWS) (S-1, S-2, S-3, and S-4, indicating 0.38, 2, 4, and 8 dSm(-1), respectively). Also, multiple linear regression analysis was performed to predict garden cress yield using WD, IWS, and soil salinity (ECe) parameters in different combinations. The results showed that yield, leaf area, stomata, chlorophyll content, leaf Ca2+, K+, K+/Na+, and Ca2+/Na+ markedly decreased under water deficit and water salinity interaction. The highest and lowest ECe values were observed at the I2S4 (8.67 dSm(-1)) and I0S1 (0.88 dSm(-1)) treatments. The highest yield was found at I0S1 (166.1 g pot(-1)), and it was 49.8% and 62.0% higher than I1S4 and I2S4 treatments. The developed models have R-2 larger than 0.92, showing that they could provide a valuable tool for evaluating and estimating the garden cress productivity under different WD and IWS conditions. Finally, we conclude that WD (80% of FC or lower) combined with a higher IWS of 0.38 dSm(-1) is not recommended for irrigating garden cress, which will cause considerable yield and commercial quality reduction of garden cress plants.