Impact of saline water treatments on vegetative propagation of Bambusa vulgaris var.
vulgaris
By - NISHANT MANDHOTRA
ID No.-08-622-006
M.Sc. (Forestry)
INTRODUCTION
Water quality and quantity has direct impact on growth parameters of plant .Tamil Nadu has water with EC ranging from 1.0 to 8.0 dsm-1 used for the
irrigation. Bambusa vulgaris is a commercially important bamboo, which has limited growth in nurseries when irrigated with saline water.To investigate the
safe limit of salinity in water and its impact at different levels in growth parameters of plant was undertaken.
OBJECTIVES
1) To determine the impact of saline water on growth
parameters of the bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris var.
vulgaris).
2) To determine the impact of saline water on the
nutrient status of the growth media in which the plants
are grown.
3) To determine the impact of saline water on the
microorganisms in rhizosphere soil in the containers in
which Bambusa vulgaris is raised through culm cutting.
Materials and methods:
Planting material –Bambusa vulgaris culm cuttings from 1-2
years old culm
Irrigation water – saline water was prepared by adding salts
viz. CaCl2, MgSO4, NaHCO3 and NaCl in the ratio of
4:2:1:1 respectively to attain different EC levels.
No. of Treatments -10 (Different water with EC of 0.20
dSm , 0.50 dSm ,0.75 dSm-1, 1.0 dSm-1, 1.25 dSm-1, 1.5
-1 -1
dSm-1, 1.75 dSm-1, 2.0 dSm-1, 3.0 dSm-1 and 4.0 dSm-1
namely as T0, T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7,T8 and T9 were
prepared and used as treatments)
No. of Replication-3 Plants per replication-30
Date of Planting - 7.11.2009
Observations -30, 60, 90 and 120 days after planting
Polythene bags (25 x 15 cm) were filled with Soil: Sand:
FYM @ 2:1:1. Completely Randomized Design (CRD)
was adopted. The cuttings were treated with the IBA at 200
ppm for an overnight and dipped inBavistein (0.01 %) for 5
minutes to avoid fungal infection.
Watering was done daily @ 30 ml/polybag using a
measuring cylinder during the initial days and @ 50
ml/polybag after 45 DAP. Shifting was done once in 30
days along with weeding. The experiment was conducted
under 75% shade net. A temporary polythene cover was used
so as to avoid rain water.
I reduced drastically to about 50 per cent.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:
The highest sprouting percentage(59%) was found
in irrigation water with least EC (0.20 dSm -1) which
was on par with treatments up to an EC of 1.0 dSm -1,
while a progressive decrease in sprouting percentage
was found with the increase in EC after 1.0 dSm -1.
No sprouting was observed with EC of 3.0 dSm -1 and
4.0 dSm -1.
The number of sprouts reduced significantly with the
increase in the salinity beyond 1.0 dSm -1.
The average shoot length of 86.69 cm was observed
under water treatment with an EC of 0.20 dSm -1 as
against 39.61 cm for EC of 2.0 dSm -1 which is less
than 50 per cent of the former .
The collar diameter was noted to be less with
increase salinity level in irrigation water. The normal
water gave a reading of 5.56 mm as against 3.06 mm
in treatment with EC of 2.0 dSm -1 at 120 DAP.
Acknowledgement: This research could not have carried out without the sincere efforts and guidance of Dr. KK Suresh, Dr.N.Chandrasekaran and
Dr.T.Kalaiselvi. I am also grateful to the Dean FC&RI,Mettupalayam, TNAU Coimbatore for providing the facilities of research and ICAR, Delhi for
giving me an opportunity to carry out the research in the esteemed campus.
Chairman: Dr. K.K.SURESH
Professor & Head
(Dept. of Silviculture)
Plate1. Site of experiment RESULTS AND DISCUSSION (contd.)
The root length increased by 36.68 per
cent under 0.20dSm -1 over the saline
water irrigation with EC of 2.0 dSm -1 and
was observed to be 13.68cm in normal
irrigation water.
In root volume there was a difference of
about 94 per cent over the treatment with
EC of 2.0 dSm -1 .Similar observations of
decrease in the shoot dry weight and
chlorophyll content of the leaves was
Plate2. Effect of saline water on shoot observed with the increase in salinity.
length In soil chemical properties, the EC
of soil was not altered upto saline water
level 1.0 dSm -1 and it changed
significantly when irrigated with more
than 1.0 dSm -1 . pH of soil was not altered
significantly. The organic carbon and
available nitrogen content of soil
decreased over the period of time upto the
EC of 1.0 dSm -1 and thereafter it is
maintained.
Fig 1. Effect of saline water treatments on
The phosphorus content
decreased over the period of time. The
sprouting percentage (%)
potassium content decreased over the
Sprouting percentage (%)
70.00 period of time however; at higher EC
60.00
levels the availability was increased.
30 DAP
50.00
40.00 60 DAP The bacterial population was
30.00
20.00 90 DAP unaffected till the salt concentration was
10.00 120 DAP 1.0 dSm -1 . When the concentration was
0.00
enhanced from 1.0 to 2.0 dSm -1 steadily,
T0 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7
the bacterial population reduced
Treatments
drastically. The fungal population in
saline water treatment reduced by 30 per
cent right from 1.25 dSm -1 to 2.0 dSm -1
Plate3. Effect of saline water on root growth
with maximum reduction of 38 per cent at
2.0 dSm -1 .
The population of actinomycetes
increased over a period of time with
slight increase in salt concentration. But
the increase in population started to
decline with increase in salt concentration
after 1.0 dSm -1 .Then the population
The decline in sprouting and growth
attributes is attributed to the adverse
Plate4. Effect of saline water on soil fungal impact on physiological behaviour of the
population plant due to accumulated salts from
water.
The decline in population of the
microorganisms population count is
attributed to the negative osmotic
potential which causes the dehydration
and plasmolysis of the microorganisms
leading to their death and slower growth.
Conclusion :
Bambusa vulgaris var. vulgaris through single nodal culm cutting planted in polybag containers
grows best under the conditions where irrigation water has an EC level upto 1.0 dSm-1. The
growth potential declines with the increase in EC above this limit and inhibit sprouting
completely at EC of 3.0 dSm-1 and 4.0 dSm-1. Hence, for vegetative propagation of Bambusa
vulgaris var. vulgaris the EC of the irrigation water used should always be less than 1.0 dSm-1
for getting high percentage of sprouting and good quality seedlings.