Effects of the application of 'cash' on the growth, fruit yield, and nutrient status of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) grown in reclaimed saline soil.

摘要

Effects of "cash" (a novel 2:5:1 (w/w/w) mixture of calcium sulphate, ground sunflower heads, and humic acid) as a soil amendment on the growth, yield and leaf nutrient status of tomato grown on reclaimed saline soil (EC = 9.4 dS m--1) were determined. A greenhouse experiment was performed in a completely randomised design with 6 treatments (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 g "cash" kg--1 soil) each with 4 replicates. Results indicated that "cash" increased shoot dry wt. (DW) plant--1 and root DW plant--1, free Pro contents of leaves and leaf chlorophyll contents. Use of "cash" also increased the number of fruits plant--1, fruit yield pot--1 and fruit vitamin C contents, although TSS contents were unaffected. Contents of N, K and Ca, and the Ca:Na ratios of leaf tissues increased with all application rates of "cash". Leaf P contents showed no response to any applied level of "cash". Leaf Na contents declined gradually with an increase in the level of "cash" applied to the soil. Results suggest that "cash" has a pronounced positive effect on growth and yield of tomato plants grown in reclaimed saline soil. "Cash" therefore has the potential to be used as a soil amendment for vegetable crops such as tomato to overcome adverse effects of salinity in newly-reclaimed soils.