Funneliformis mosseae and soil-applied potassium silicate for eggplant irrigated with saline well water: Na+/K+ balance, phosphorus uptake and fruit yield
Abstract
Saline groundwater has become a routine irrigation source in dry regions, but it lowers vegetable yield through sodium load, potassium loss and weak phosphorus nutrition. We tested whether the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Funneliformis mosseae and soil-applied potassium silicate (K2SiO3) protect eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) irrigated with saline well water. A pot trial combined three water salinities (ECw 1.2, 3.5 and 6.0 dS m−1), two inoculation levels and three silicate doses (0, 50 and 100 mg Si kg−1 soil) in four randomized complete blocks. Raising ECw from 1.2 to 6.0 dS m−1 cut the fruit yield of untreated plants by 53%, raised the leaf Na/K molar ratio thirteen-fold and lowered leaf P by 31%. Across salinities, inoculation raised fruit yield by 15.5%, leaf P by 15.6% and recovered P by 23.8%, and lowered leaf Na/K by 20%. Silicate at 100 mg Si kg−1 raised leaf Si about fourfold and yield by 13.8%, and lowered leaf Na/K by 28%. At ECw 6.0 dS m−1 the combined inputs gave 1.93 instead of 1.23 kg plant−1 (+57%), with 45% lower leaf Na/K and 61% more recovered P. Their effects were additive (inoculation × silicate for yield, P = 0.19). Salinity reduced root colonization from 64% to 42%, while final soil ECe was unaffected by either input. Because the silicate also supplied potassium, its benefit cannot be credited to silicon alone. Co-applying F. mosseae and potassium silicate is a practical option for eggplant grown with moderately saline well water.
Keywords:
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, potassium silicate, saline irrigation water, Solanum melongena, Na+/K+ ratio, phosphorus uptake, groundwaterDOI
https://doi.org/10.70604/ijzels.v3i2.230References
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