Water Efficiency of Coriander under Flows of Application of Nutritive Solutions Prepared in Brackish Waters

Abstract

The impact of the salinity of the nutrient solution on water efficiency can be changed by the application flow. The aim of this work was to analyze the water efficiency and production components of coriander plants, cultivar Verdão, exposed to nutrient solutions (1.7, 3.0, 4.5, and 6.0 dS m−1) applied with different flow rates (1.0, 2.0, 3,0, and 4.0 L min−1) in an NFT hydroponic system. Two experiments were carried out in a greenhouse with two sources of salts to prepare the electrical conductivity. In the first experiment, NaCl was used, and CaCl2·2H2O was used in the second. Variables were analyzed related to the production components and the consumption of water use efficiency. It was found that the water efficiency and production components of coriander plants were more affected by increases in electrical conductivity in the nutrient solution. CaCl2·2H2O better promotes the lower production of dry mass, plant height, water consumption, and the instantaneous and intrinsic efficiency of water use than NaCl. The coriander’s water relations were inhibited by increases in the concentration of salts in nutrient solution, while increases in the flow rate of the nutrient solution negatively affected the productive parameters of the coriander plants.