Jojoba (simmondsia chinesis (link)‎ Schneider)‎ : a potential shrub in the Arabian Desert : effect of saline irrigation on vegetative growth, nutritive value and soil properties

Abstract EN

The effect of four saline irrigation regimes viz.

1.0, 15.6, 31.2 and 46.9 dSm-1 on vegetative growth, nutritive value, and soil properties was assessed in a randomized complete block field experiment under the arid environment of Western Saudi Arabia.

Analysis of eight seasons (2 years) data revealed no significant differences among treatments on each of the nine morphological traits studied except for number of leaves and branch length in the winter of the first year and for number of branches per plant in the summer of the second year.

Salinity has no significant effects on mineral (N, P, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) content of leaves, culms and soil and on soil properties such as pH, TSS, SAR, ESP, ECe and on concentrations of HCO- 3, Cl- and SO4 at variable depths.

Effects of season on mineral contents of leaves and culms and on all morphological traits were significant.

On the average, highest estimates for the morphological traits were recorded in the spring and winter; whereas those of mineral contents in leaves and culms varied with the season.