The Effect of Irrigation Water Quality and Growing Medium on Growth Parameters of Chokeberry

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effect of irrigation water quality and growing medium differences on the growth parameters of the chokeberry plant. The effects of control (0.65 dS m-1), 2 dS m-1, 4 dS m-1, 8 dS m-1, and 10 dS m-1 electrical conductivity irrigation water and 2 different growing medium (peat and soil) were evaluated on plant growth. For this purpose, specific leaf area (SLA), leaf area ratio (LAR), leaf weight ratio (LWR), stem weight ratio (SWR), root weight ratio (RWR), net assimilation rate (NAR), relative growth rate (RGR), and leaf thickness (LT) parameters were evaluated. Differences were observed in growth parameters depending on irrigation water salinity and growing medium. The SLA value varied between 26.47 (control) and 3.07 cm2 day-1 (10 dS m-1) in soil medium and between 25.07 (control) and 2.88 cm2 day-1 (10 dS m-1) in peat medium. The values of LAR ranged between 127.98-12.65 cm2 day-1 in soil and 134.14-61.33 cm2 day-1 in peat, and LWR between 0.25-0.03 g g-1 (soil) and 0.43-0.05 g g-1 (peat). The SWR value varied between 0.41-0.18 g g-1 in soil and 1.22-0.29 g g-1 in peat. The RWR value ranged between 0.63-0.37 g g-1 in the soil medium and 1.62-0.31 g g-1 in the peat medium. NAR and RGR are the most potent parameters used to evaluate plant growth and to express growth and development. NAR and RGR parameters reached the highest value in soil medium in 2 dS m-1 application, while in peat medium in control application.