Saltbush Irrigation with Treated Wastewater

Abstract

Saltbush grow in arid and semi-arid climates in the south as well as in the north hemisphere and shapes adapted population to different environmental conditions along with distribution. Nevertheless, there is not enough information available that allows to enhance its productive potential in abiotic stressed conditions. In this research it was determined the effect of the treated waste-water irrigation and the incorporation of organic amendment in the substrate in the development of the ecotypes 607 and 693 of Atriplex nummularia and in the ecotype 610 of Atriplex canescens. Treated waste-water irrigation stimulated the natural increase and the accumulation of biomass in the ecotypes 607 and 693 of A. nummularia and it was inhibited in the ecotype 610 of A. canescens, even though in no case was statistically significant. The incorporation of organic amendment into the substrate had a negative effect in the development of different ecotypes. Plants in enriched substrate with organic amendment and irrigated with treated wastewater showed the same behavior than irrigation plants only with treated wastewater. In all the cases, the ecotype 610 of A. canescens, showed a greater sensitivity to treatments. Results indicate that response of genus Atriplex to irrigation with treated wastewater and the incorporation to organic amendment in the substrate is dependent ecotype.