Abstract:
Background Plant growth can be inhibited by salinity conditions, which could lead to an osmotic stress and ion poisoning, hence causing decreases in yield and quality of crops. The magnetic technology, as a primer eco-friendly technique, can be used to the exploration and utilization of saline water. Consequently, the magnetic saline water could contribute to reduce the increasing pressure on freshwater resources in irrigation farming, especially in saline areas.
Methods A pot experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, and two-year-old seedlings of Vitis vinifera×V. labrusca 'Summer Black' were used as the test materials. The irrigational experiments were performed by different concentration of NaCl solution (0, 3.0 and 6.0 g/L) under magnetic and non-magnetic treatments. The characteristics of biomass, survival ratio, salt sensitive index, roots morphology parameters and ionic content (Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+) were determined using harvested method and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The aim in our study is to explore the effect of saline water on grape seedling growth under magnetic field.
Results 1) The seedling growth and biomass of grapes were suppressed after suffering to saline conditions, while the survival ratio of the seedlings decreased in the treatment of 6.0 g/L NaCl solution. However, the irrigation with magnetized water stimulated the seedling growth, increased the shoots length, biomass, root/shoot ratio and survival ratio, while decreased the salt sensitive index. 2) The Na+ contents in grape seedlings raised with the increase of NaCl solution (P < 0.05), whereas the ratios of K+/Na+, Ca2+/Na+, Mg2+/Na+ significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Differing from increasing content of Na+ in non-magnetized water managements, magnetically treated water resulted in a lower Na+ contents, but an enhancement in the ability of rejecting Na+ in grape stem and root as well as in the absorption and transportation of K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+, also increases in the accumulation of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in leaves.
Conclusions From the above results, we could see that, the seedling growth is improved when irrigating with magnetized saline water, also the salt tolerance and ion homeostasis of grapevines is enhanced by impacting of magnetic treatment. And these positive influences induced by the magnetic field would provide a theoretical foundation for the application of the magnetic technology in saline areas and saline water management.