USO DE ÁGUAS SALOBRAS NA PRODUÇÃO DE RÚCULA CULTIVADA EM SUBSTRATO DE FIBRA DE COCO

Abstract

The brackish water can be used on profitable agricultural production, depending on the adoption of appropriated crop practices and the crop tolerance to salinity as well. The hydroponic system can contribute when it is used with brackish water on horticulture production, because the great state of saturation that plants is submitted enables the increase of crop tolerance to salinity. This paper evaluated the effect of salinity on nutritive solution of rocket (Eruca sativa L.), cv. "Cultivada", cultivated in coconut fiber substrate under protected conditions. The experiment was carried out in randomized blocs design, with four types of water, added with NaCl, one was the control (S1 = 2.0; S2 = 3.5; S3 = 4.5 and S4 = 5.5 dS m-1), applied in four development stages (1st week, 2nd week, 3th week and 4th week after the transplantation) with four repetitions. The evaluated characteristics were the crown diameter, fresh and dry weight of the canopy. The results showed that increasing salinity levels decreased the fresh biomass. The first and second growth week of cultivation times were more sensitive to application of saline water with reduction 9.7% on the fresh biomass.