Pyroligneous acid extract as an attenuator of salt stress in Surinam cherry

Abstract

Pyroligneous acid extract can reduce the effects of excess toxic salts on Surinam cherry plants, especially in the Brazilian Northeast, where soil and water salinity is a limiting factor for agricultural production. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of pyroligneous acid extract as an attenuator on the growth and synthesis of osmoregulators of Surinam cherry irrigated with saline waters. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with the treatments distributed in a randomized block design under the factorial scheme 4 × 3, referring to four levels of salinity of the irrigation water (0.5, 2.5, 4.5, and 6.5 dS m⁻¹) and application of three concentrations of pyroligneous acid extract (0, 1, and 2%). High salinity levels, of 4.5 and 6.5 dS m⁻¹, significantly reduced growth, chlorophyll, and soluble sugars. However, the application of 2% pyroligneous acid extract was practical in mitigating salt stress effects up to 2.5 dS m⁻¹, resulting in improvements in the number of leaves, proline contents, dry mass production and quality of the seedlings.