Objetivou-se estudar os mecanismos fisiológicos de percepção e tolerância ao estresse salino de híbridos de citros em cultivo hidropônico. O experimento foi realizado em ambiente protegido do Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia Agroalimentar - CCTA, da Universidade Federal de Campina Grande - UFCG, Pombal, PB. Foram avaliados, em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial (2x5), dois níveis de salinidade da água de irrigação (0,3 e 4,0 dS m^-1) e cinco híbridos recomendados para uso como porta-enxerto [HTR - 069, HTR - 116, HTR - 127, LCR x TR - 001 e TSKC x (LCR x TR) - 040)], com três repetições. Os genótipos foram cultivados em sistema hidropônico adaptado em vasos de Leonard, utilizando solução de Hoagland. O início da aplicação da solução nutritiva com uso de águas salinas ocorreu aos 90 dias após a semeadura, quando se procedeu as avaliações quanto às trocas gasosas e fluorescência do PSII às 0, 24 e 48 horas após aplicação dos tratamentos a fim de determinar o efeito do estresse salino sobre os atributos fisiológicos. A fluorescência inicial, a condutância estomática e a eficiência no uso da água foram as variáveis que mais permitem evidenciar a percepção do estresse neste trabalho. O híbrido TSKC x (LCR x TR) - 040 foi o mais tolerante à salinidade, seguido do híbrido HTR - 069. O híbrido LCR x TR - 001 foi o mais sensível à salinidade, por ter sua atividade do PSII comprometida.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the interaction between water salinity and doses of nitrogen and phosphorus on chlorophyll a fluorescence and on the growth of West Indian Cherry (‘acerola’) plants in the initial growth stage. The research was carried out in a protected environment, in lysimeters filled with Regolithic Neosol of loamy clay texture and low initial phosphorus content. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design, arranged in a factorial scheme with two factors, five levels of electrical conductivity of the irrigation water - ECw (0.6, 1.4, 2.2, 3.0 and 3.8 dS m^-1) and four proportions of the recommendation of phosphorus/nitrogen - P/N (100:100, 140:100, 100:140 and 140:140% P/N of recommendation), with three replicates, and each plot consisted of one plant. Water salinity above 2.2 dS m^-1 decreases the quantum efficiency of photosystem II and the growth of west indian cherry plants. Increase in nitrogen and/or phosphorus supply improves the energy stability of west indian cherry plants by reducing the effects of salt stress on the quantum efficiency of photosystem II. The increase of 40% in the nitrogen dose increased the chlorophyll a fluorescence, but did not influence the plant growth.

The cultivation of irrigated soursop in semiarid Northeastern Brazil highlights the need for information regarding its responses to the salinity of irrigation water and the use of techniques that allow its exploration, such as the use of hydrogen peroxide. Thus, the study aimed to evaluate the effect of soaking of seeds and foliar application of hydrogen peroxide on soursop plant growth and physiology under conditions of salt stress. The study was conducted in lysimeters in a greenhouse, and the treatments were distributed in a randomized block design and 4 × 4 factorial scheme, with four values of electrical conductivity of the irrigation water - ECw (0.7, 1.7, 2.7, and 3.7 dS m-1) and four concentrations of H2O2 (0, 25, 50, and 75 μM), with three replicates and one plant per plot. H2O2 concentrations were applied via seed imbibition and foliar spray. Irrigation with water from 0.7 dS m-1 impairs gas exchange and absolute growth rates of plant height and stem diameter and relative growth rate in height of soursop plants. Concentrations of 35, 33 and 23 µM of hydrogen peroxide favored the relative and absolute growth rates of plant height and transpiration, respectively. Compared to the aerial part, the root of soursop plants is more affected when irrigated with water from 1.6 dS m-1.

In the Brazilian semi-arid region, the occurrence of water with high salt concentrations is common, making it a limiting factor for the agricultural production. The water-use salinity management strategies are an alternative capable of minimizing the deleterious effects of the stress on plants. This study aimed to evaluate the gas exchanges and production of ‘Sugar Baby’ watermelon plants under strategies of irrigation with saline water and nitrogen fertilization. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design, arranged in a 6 x 2 factorial scheme, with five replicates, corresponding to six irrigation strategies with saline water applied at different phenological stages of the crop (control - irrigation with low-salinity water throughout the entire crop cycle, and salt stress at the vegetative stage, vegetative/flowering stage, flowering, fruiting and fruit maturation) and two nitrogen rates (50 % and 100 %, equivalent to 50 mg and 100 mg of N kg-1 of soil). Two levels of water salinity were studied: one with a low and the other with a high level of electrical conductivity (0.8 dS m-1 and 3.2 dS m-1, respectively). The salinity of 3.2 dS m-1 in the vegetative/flowering and fruit maturation phases decreases the stomatal opening, transpiration and CO2 assimilation rate. The level with 50 % of N provides a higher assimilation rate of CO2 and fresh fruit mass. The watermelon plant expresses a greater sensitivity to saline stress in the vegetative and flowering phases, a situation that results in a decreased fruit size.

Cowpea is the main subsistence crop—protein source—for the Brazilian semi-arid region. The use of salt-stress-tolerant varieties can improve crop yields. We evaluated the effect of irrigation with brackish water on the growth, photosynthetic responses, production, and tolerance of fifteen traditional varieties of cowpea. The experiment was conducted in randomized blocks, in a 15 × 2 factorial scheme, composed of 15 traditional varieties of cowpea and two salinity levels of irrigation water (0.5 and 4.5 dS m⁻¹), with five replicates. Plants were grown in pots containing 10 dm³ of soil for 80 days. The reduction in the photosynthetic rate of cowpea varieties occurs mainly due to the decrease in stomatal conductance caused by salt stress. Salt stress increased the electron transport rate and photochemical quenching of cowpea varieties, but stress-tolerant varieties increased the CO₂ assimilation rate and instantaneous carboxylation efficiency. The Ceará, Costela de Vaca, Pingo de Ouro, Ovo de Peru, and Sempre Verde varieties are tolerant to salt stress. Salt stress decreases 26% of the production of tolerant varieties to salt stress and 54% of susceptible varieties. The present findings show the existence of variability for saline stress tolerance in traditional varieties of cowpea and that Ceará, Costela de Vaca, Pingo de Ouro, and Ovo de Peru varieties are more suitable for crops irrigated with saline water.