Evaluation of the effect of the salinity of irrigation water on the yield of castor plant hybrids (Ricinus communis L.) in Mexico

Abstract

The study consists of evaluating the response of three hybrids of castor plant (Ricinus communis L.), Zoya 856, Olga 864 and Galit K-93, to four irrigation treatments at different salt concentrations (2.3, 3.12, 3.9 and 4.68 dS m-1) simultaneously. The objective was to compare the yield between hybrids for each treatment, as well as to determine the effects caused by excess salt in the stages of germination, flowering and growth of the plant. The research was conducted in Block 1916 of the Yaqui Valley, located in the state of Sonora, Mexico. Irrigation water was obtained from a brackish well with 3,900 mg L-1 of total dissolved solids adjacent to the study area and subjected to a desalination process by reverse osmosis using a system with an output of 150m3d-1, equipped with 12 membrane modules (model SWC4-MAX) with dimensions of 0.20mx1.01m. The results showed that the germination and flowering stages were delayed as the concentration of salts increased. In conclusion, the yield of the hybrids increased under irrigation with higher salinity, with the Olga 864 hybrid having the highest production (2.28 ton Ha-1 with irrigation of 4.68 dS m-1).