ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The feasibility of cultivating seawater depends on finding a germplasm resistance to salinity and developing appropriate agricultural techniques. Halophytes have the requisite salt tolerance and produce high biomass or seed yields under seawater irrigation. One of the promising halophytes is Salicornia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate production of Salicornia (Salicornia bigelovii L.) under irrigation with high saline water and influence of fertilization on growth, yield and nutrient content. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A field experiment was conducted during 2018-2019. Four irrigation treatments (100% seawater, 50% seawater, 25% seawater and 100% well water) were running twice per week. A six fertilization treatments (control, algae extract as foliar and soil applications, NPK (20-20-20) alone or with micronutrients fertilizer (Fe+Mn+Zn+Cu in chelated form) and NPK+micronutrients fertilizer+algae extract were applied in combined with the four irrigation treatments. RESULTS: The highest mean values of growth and seed yield of Salicornia plants were obtained by 50% dilution of seawater treatment. The treatment of algae extract soil with NPK+micronutrients fertilizers were produced the highest relative increase percentages in growth and yield. The combined treatment of NPK+micronutrients fertilizer+algae extract soil treatment in combined with 50% diluted of seawater was recorded the highest values of all parameters. CONCLUSION: Soil applied of algae extract as a bio-fertilizer with NPK+micronutrients fertilizers gave the highest increasing in Salicornia growth, yield and contents of nutrients, especially at 25 and 50% seawater dilution treatments.
