The role of humic acid in reducing the harmful effect of irrigation with saline water on tifway turf

Abstract EN

A field experiment was conducted at the golf greens of the 6th Oct.

City, Giza, Egypt during 2006 and 2007 seasons to detect how far humic acid (HA) application at the rates of 0,10 and 20 ml/L.

as a soil drench can help Tifway Bermudagrass hybrid {Cynodon dactylon * C.

transvaalensis) to resist salinity of irrigation water at the levels of 0, 4000, 8000,12000 and 16000 ppm when grown in beds (100 x 100 x 30 cm.) filled with a mixture of sand and loam (1:1 v/v).

The obtained results in both seasons indicated that plant height (cm), density (%), number of plants/m2 and herb fresh and dry weights (g) were progressively increased with significant differences as a *■■■ result of increasing HA rate regardless of saline water concentration, but they were significantly decreased in response to all saline water treatments.

A similar trend was also gained with regard to pigments content (mg/g F.W.) and the percentages of N, P and K in the leaves.

The opposite was the right concerning the content of Na and Ci (mg/g D.W.), as they were gradually increased with increasing salinity level, but were cumulatively reduced with raising HA rate.

Proline content (li mol/g D.W.), however showed a progressive increment due to elevating the rate of either HA or salinity.

Hence, under the condition of such work, it could be summarized that Tifway Bermudagrass can proportionally tolerate salinity of irrigation water up to 16000 ppm, especially if treated with HA at 20 ml/L.

as a soil drench that greatly improved growth, density, colour and chemical constituents under salinity stress.

Key words: Tifway turf, Cynodon dactylon x C.

transvaalensis hybrid, humic acid (HA), salinity, saline water, vegetative growth, chemical composition.