Slightly Saline Water Improved Physiology, Growth, and Yield of Tomato Plants in Yellow Sand Substrate
Efficient utilization of saline water and yellow sand resources can enhance water and soil resource management while boosting crop yields in Xinjiang. This study conducted a two-season field experiment in Alar City, Xinjiang, from March to July 2023 and August 2023 to January 2024. The objective was...
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MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| author | Wenge Jiang Jiangfan Liu Zhi Gong Yang Gao Zhaoyang Li Zhanming Tan |
| author_facet | Wenge Jiang Jiangfan Liu Zhi Gong Yang Gao Zhaoyang Li Zhanming Tan |
| author_sort | Wenge Jiang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Efficient utilization of saline water and yellow sand resources can enhance water and soil resource management while boosting crop yields in Xinjiang. This study conducted a two-season field experiment in Alar City, Xinjiang, from March to July 2023 and August 2023 to January 2024. The objective was to examine the effects of different irrigation water salinities (2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 g·L<sup>−1</sup>) on the physiology, growth, and yield of sand-cultured tomatoes grown in yellow sand slag. Groundwater irrigation with salinity levels of 0.8–1 g·L<sup>−1</sup> was used as the control (CK). The results showed that the salinity of the substrate gradually increased with the salinity of irrigation water in each treatment. The salt accumulation increased by 59.5%, 82.5%, and 99.5% at the end of the experiment for T3 (4 g·L<sup>−1</sup>), T4 (5 g·L<sup>−1</sup>), and T5 (6 g·L<sup>−1</sup>), respectively, compared to CK. As the salinity of irrigation water increased, plant height, stem thickness, chlorophyll content, net photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and total yield of tomato showed an increasing and then decreasing trend, in which the total tomato yield of the T2 (3 g·L<sup>−1</sup>) treatment was significantly increased by 35.2% compared with that of CK between the two seasons. In contrast, as the salinity of irrigation water increased, the inter-cellular CO<sub>2</sub> concentration of tomato leaves showed a decreasing and then increasing trend, with the T2 treatment having the lowest inter-cellular CO<sub>2</sub> concentration. Pathway analysis revealed that appropriate salinity levels increased tomato yield by regulating inter-cellular CO<sub>2</sub> concentration. Based on these findings, a 3 g·L<sup>−1</sup> salinity level is recommended for irrigating sand-cultured tomatoes to maximize yellow sand resource use, address freshwater shortages, and optimize water and soil management in the Xinjiang region. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8dc3eade885447b482643b7006bbe3fb |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj-art-8dc3eade885447b482643b7006bbe3fb2025-08-20T02:10:57ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952024-10-011410231510.3390/agronomy14102315Slightly Saline Water Improved Physiology, Growth, and Yield of Tomato Plants in Yellow Sand SubstrateWenge Jiang0Jiangfan Liu1Zhi Gong2Yang Gao3Zhaoyang Li4Zhanming Tan5College of Water Hydraulic and Architectural Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, ChinaCollege of Water Hydraulic and Architectural Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, ChinaCollege of Water Hydraulic and Architectural Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, ChinaInstitute of Farmland Irrigation, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinxiang 453002, ChinaCollege of Water Hydraulic and Architectural Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, ChinaCollege of Horticulture and Forestry, Tarim University, Alar 843300, ChinaEfficient utilization of saline water and yellow sand resources can enhance water and soil resource management while boosting crop yields in Xinjiang. This study conducted a two-season field experiment in Alar City, Xinjiang, from March to July 2023 and August 2023 to January 2024. The objective was to examine the effects of different irrigation water salinities (2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 g·L<sup>−1</sup>) on the physiology, growth, and yield of sand-cultured tomatoes grown in yellow sand slag. Groundwater irrigation with salinity levels of 0.8–1 g·L<sup>−1</sup> was used as the control (CK). The results showed that the salinity of the substrate gradually increased with the salinity of irrigation water in each treatment. The salt accumulation increased by 59.5%, 82.5%, and 99.5% at the end of the experiment for T3 (4 g·L<sup>−1</sup>), T4 (5 g·L<sup>−1</sup>), and T5 (6 g·L<sup>−1</sup>), respectively, compared to CK. As the salinity of irrigation water increased, plant height, stem thickness, chlorophyll content, net photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and total yield of tomato showed an increasing and then decreasing trend, in which the total tomato yield of the T2 (3 g·L<sup>−1</sup>) treatment was significantly increased by 35.2% compared with that of CK between the two seasons. In contrast, as the salinity of irrigation water increased, the inter-cellular CO<sub>2</sub> concentration of tomato leaves showed a decreasing and then increasing trend, with the T2 treatment having the lowest inter-cellular CO<sub>2</sub> concentration. Pathway analysis revealed that appropriate salinity levels increased tomato yield by regulating inter-cellular CO<sub>2</sub> concentration. Based on these findings, a 3 g·L<sup>−1</sup> salinity level is recommended for irrigating sand-cultured tomatoes to maximize yellow sand resource use, address freshwater shortages, and optimize water and soil management in the Xinjiang region.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/14/10/2315greenhouse tomatogrowth and yieldirrigation water salinityphysiological characteristicssand-cultured |
| spellingShingle | Wenge Jiang Jiangfan Liu Zhi Gong Yang Gao Zhaoyang Li Zhanming Tan Slightly Saline Water Improved Physiology, Growth, and Yield of Tomato Plants in Yellow Sand Substrate Agronomy greenhouse tomato growth and yield irrigation water salinity physiological characteristics sand-cultured |
| title | Slightly Saline Water Improved Physiology, Growth, and Yield of Tomato Plants in Yellow Sand Substrate |
| title_full | Slightly Saline Water Improved Physiology, Growth, and Yield of Tomato Plants in Yellow Sand Substrate |
| title_fullStr | Slightly Saline Water Improved Physiology, Growth, and Yield of Tomato Plants in Yellow Sand Substrate |
| title_full_unstemmed | Slightly Saline Water Improved Physiology, Growth, and Yield of Tomato Plants in Yellow Sand Substrate |
| title_short | Slightly Saline Water Improved Physiology, Growth, and Yield of Tomato Plants in Yellow Sand Substrate |
| title_sort | slightly saline water improved physiology growth and yield of tomato plants in yellow sand substrate |
| topic | greenhouse tomato growth and yield irrigation water salinity physiological characteristics sand-cultured |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/14/10/2315 |
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