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Title: RESPONSE OF MATTHIOLA INCANA TO SALINE WASTEWATERS

Author
item Grieve, Catherine
item Poss, James
item Draper, John

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2003
Publication Date: 8/1/2003
Citation: Grieve, C.M., Poss, J.A., Draper, J.H. Response of Matthiola incana to Saline Wastewaters. 2003. ASHS Centennial Conference. Providence. RI: Program and Abstracts. 38:814.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: To explore the possibility that saline wastewater may be used to grow high value floriculture crops, the effects of salinity were tested on Matthiola incana (L.) R. Br. Two cultivars of stock ('Cheerful White', 'Frolic Purple') were planted in 30 greenhouse sand tanks in Riverside, California and irrigated initially with complete nutrient solution. Three weeks after planting, saline treatments were imposed with solutions differing in ion composition: 15 tanks were irrigated with waters typical of agricultural wastewaters present in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) and 15 tanks were irrigated with waters compositions found in saline tailwaters in the Imperial/Coachella Valleys (ICV). Five treatments of each salinity type were used with electrical conductivities of 2.5, 5, 8, 11, 14 dS/m. Stem length of both cultivars was reduced from 86 to 65 cm as salinity increased from 2.5 to 14 dS/m, however reduction was not significant until salinity reached 8 dS/m. Stem length was not significantly affected by ion composition of the irrigation waters. Stem weight of both cultivars irrigated with ICV waters was unaffected by salinity up to 8 dS/m, whereas in response to SJV waters, decreases in stem weight were observed only at higher salt levels. Mineral composition of the vegetative tissues generally reflected ion concentration in the irrigation waters in that shoot-Mg and -Cl were higher and shoot-Na and -S lower in plants irrigated with ICV waters than with SJV waters. This study illustrates that, with improved management practices, selected cut flower species may be economically produced under irrigation with low to moderately saline wastewaters.