Magnetized Water and Proline to Boost the Growth, Productivity and Fruit Quality of ‘Taifi’ Pomegranate Subjected to Deficit Irrigation in Saline Clay Soils of Semi-Arid Egypt
Water scarcity is becoming a global problem. The shift from traditional irrigation systems to deficit irrigation increased soil salinity, particularly in clay soils. The use of magnetized water (MW) and biostimulants can induce plant resistance to drought and salinity stress. To assess the role of M...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-06-01
|
| Series: | Horticulturae |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/7/564 |
| _version_ | 1797406168029593600 |
|---|---|
| author | Sameh K. Okba Yasser Mazrou Gehad B. Mikhael Mohamed E. H. Farag Shamel M. Alam-Eldein |
| author_facet | Sameh K. Okba Yasser Mazrou Gehad B. Mikhael Mohamed E. H. Farag Shamel M. Alam-Eldein |
| author_sort | Sameh K. Okba |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Water scarcity is becoming a global problem. The shift from traditional irrigation systems to deficit irrigation increased soil salinity, particularly in clay soils. The use of magnetized water (MW) and biostimulants can induce plant resistance to drought and salinity stress. To assess the role of MW and proline (P) on ‘Taifi’ pomegranate shrubs’ growth, productivity, and fruit quality under such conditions, a split-plots experiment was conducted for two seasons using three irrigation levels (100%, 75%, and 50%), based on the crop water requirements (CWR), and four treatments including foliar spray of tap water (control) and P, irrigation with MW, and MW + P. The most pronounced effect was referred to MW + P at 75% CWR that improved shrubs’ chlorophyll content and nutritional status, reduced endogenous proline content, and enhanced vegetative growth with minimum consumptive water use (CWU), optimum water use efficiency (WUE), maximum water productivity (WP), utmost yield and average fruit weight, lowest percentage of fruit cracking, and fairly good total soluble solids (TSS), vitamin C and anthocyanin contents. Overall, MW + P at 75% CWR improved the resistance mechanism of pomegranate shrubs in saline clay soils, plus improving the growers’ net profit. MW generally reduced soil salinity, expressed as reduced pH, EC, Na<sup>+</sup>, and Ca<sup>2+</sup> values. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:21:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6ae9c52a8eaf442696f1c8191cfdfbba |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2311-7524 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:21:31Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Horticulturae |
| spelling | doaj.art-6ae9c52a8eaf442696f1c8191cfdfbba2023-12-03T15:08:03ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242022-06-018756410.3390/horticulturae8070564Magnetized Water and Proline to Boost the Growth, Productivity and Fruit Quality of ‘Taifi’ Pomegranate Subjected to Deficit Irrigation in Saline Clay Soils of Semi-Arid EgyptSameh K. Okba0Yasser Mazrou1Gehad B. Mikhael2Mohamed E. H. Farag3Shamel M. Alam-Eldein4Deciduous Fruit Department, Horticulture Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza 12619, EgyptCommunity College, King Khalid University, Abha 62217, Saudi ArabiaDeciduous Fruit Department, Horticulture Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza 12619, EgyptDepartment of Olive and Semi-Arid Region Fruits, Horticulture Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza 12619, EgyptDepartment of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, EgyptWater scarcity is becoming a global problem. The shift from traditional irrigation systems to deficit irrigation increased soil salinity, particularly in clay soils. The use of magnetized water (MW) and biostimulants can induce plant resistance to drought and salinity stress. To assess the role of MW and proline (P) on ‘Taifi’ pomegranate shrubs’ growth, productivity, and fruit quality under such conditions, a split-plots experiment was conducted for two seasons using three irrigation levels (100%, 75%, and 50%), based on the crop water requirements (CWR), and four treatments including foliar spray of tap water (control) and P, irrigation with MW, and MW + P. The most pronounced effect was referred to MW + P at 75% CWR that improved shrubs’ chlorophyll content and nutritional status, reduced endogenous proline content, and enhanced vegetative growth with minimum consumptive water use (CWU), optimum water use efficiency (WUE), maximum water productivity (WP), utmost yield and average fruit weight, lowest percentage of fruit cracking, and fairly good total soluble solids (TSS), vitamin C and anthocyanin contents. Overall, MW + P at 75% CWR improved the resistance mechanism of pomegranate shrubs in saline clay soils, plus improving the growers’ net profit. MW generally reduced soil salinity, expressed as reduced pH, EC, Na<sup>+</sup>, and Ca<sup>2+</sup> values.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/7/564clay soilsdeficit irrigationmagnetic waterosmoregulantssalinitywater relationships |
| spellingShingle | Sameh K. Okba Yasser Mazrou Gehad B. Mikhael Mohamed E. H. Farag Shamel M. Alam-Eldein Magnetized Water and Proline to Boost the Growth, Productivity and Fruit Quality of ‘Taifi’ Pomegranate Subjected to Deficit Irrigation in Saline Clay Soils of Semi-Arid Egypt Horticulturae clay soils deficit irrigation magnetic water osmoregulants salinity water relationships |
| title | Magnetized Water and Proline to Boost the Growth, Productivity and Fruit Quality of ‘Taifi’ Pomegranate Subjected to Deficit Irrigation in Saline Clay Soils of Semi-Arid Egypt |
| title_full | Magnetized Water and Proline to Boost the Growth, Productivity and Fruit Quality of ‘Taifi’ Pomegranate Subjected to Deficit Irrigation in Saline Clay Soils of Semi-Arid Egypt |
| title_fullStr | Magnetized Water and Proline to Boost the Growth, Productivity and Fruit Quality of ‘Taifi’ Pomegranate Subjected to Deficit Irrigation in Saline Clay Soils of Semi-Arid Egypt |
| title_full_unstemmed | Magnetized Water and Proline to Boost the Growth, Productivity and Fruit Quality of ‘Taifi’ Pomegranate Subjected to Deficit Irrigation in Saline Clay Soils of Semi-Arid Egypt |
| title_short | Magnetized Water and Proline to Boost the Growth, Productivity and Fruit Quality of ‘Taifi’ Pomegranate Subjected to Deficit Irrigation in Saline Clay Soils of Semi-Arid Egypt |
| title_sort | magnetized water and proline to boost the growth productivity and fruit quality of taifi pomegranate subjected to deficit irrigation in saline clay soils of semi arid egypt |
| topic | clay soils deficit irrigation magnetic water osmoregulants salinity water relationships |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/7/564 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT samehkokba magnetizedwaterandprolinetoboostthegrowthproductivityandfruitqualityoftaifipomegranatesubjectedtodeficitirrigationinsalineclaysoilsofsemiaridegypt AT yassermazrou magnetizedwaterandprolinetoboostthegrowthproductivityandfruitqualityoftaifipomegranatesubjectedtodeficitirrigationinsalineclaysoilsofsemiaridegypt AT gehadbmikhael magnetizedwaterandprolinetoboostthegrowthproductivityandfruitqualityoftaifipomegranatesubjectedtodeficitirrigationinsalineclaysoilsofsemiaridegypt AT mohamedehfarag magnetizedwaterandprolinetoboostthegrowthproductivityandfruitqualityoftaifipomegranatesubjectedtodeficitirrigationinsalineclaysoilsofsemiaridegypt AT shamelmalameldein magnetizedwaterandprolinetoboostthegrowthproductivityandfruitqualityoftaifipomegranatesubjectedtodeficitirrigationinsalineclaysoilsofsemiaridegypt |