ABSTRACT

IMPACT OF SALINE WATER TREATMENTS ON VEGETATIVE

PROPAGATION OF Bambusa vulgaris var. vulgaris

By

NISHANT MANDHOTRA

Degree : Master of Science (Forestry)

Chairman : Dr. K.K.SURESH
Professor and Head
Department of Silviculture
Forest College and Research Institute
Mettupalayam – 641 301
2010

A nursery experiment was conducted in order to investigate the effect of saline

water irrigation on the vegetative propagation of non seeding thornless bamboo Bambusa

vulgaris var. vulgaris and the changes in soil properties and soil microbial population was

studied during the year 2009-10.

The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomised Block design. There were

ten treatments with irrigation water prepared with EC of 0.20 dSm-1, 0.50 dSm-1, 0.75 dSm-1,

1.0 dSm-1, 1.25 dSm-1, 1.5 dSm-1, 1.75 dSm-1, 2.0 dSm-1, 3.0 dSm-1 and 4.0 dSm-1

respectively representing different levels of salinity. The solutions were prepared by

adding salts viz. CaCl2, MgSO4, NaHCO3 and NaCl in the ratio of 4:2:1:1 respectively. The

polypots of 25 cm x 10 cm were irrigated daily with irrigation water at 30 ml per seedling

per day up to 45 DAP and later with 50 ml per seedling per day.

The results revealed that the highest sprouting percentage was found in irrigation

water with the least EC (0.20 dSm-1) which was on par with treatments up to EC of
1.0 dSm-1. A progressive decrease in sprouting percentage was found with the increase in

EC. No sprouting was observed when the cuttings were irrigated with saline water with

3.0 dSm-1 and 4.0 dSm-1. The number of sprouts also declined with the increase in salinity

levels. The shoot length was observed to be highest at 86.69 cm under irrigation water

treatment with EC of 0.20 dSm-1 as against 39.61 cm for EC of 2.0 dSm -1 which is less

by about 50 per cent. The collar diameter was also noted to be less with increase in

salinity level in the irrigation water. The normal water gave a reading of 5.56 mm as

against 3.06 mm in treatment with EC of 2.0 dSm-1 after four month of study. In root

length there was an increase of 36.68 per cent over the saline irrigation with EC of

2.0 dSm-1 and was observed to be 13.68 cm under 0.20 dSm-1 irrigation water. In root

volume there was a difference of about 94 per cent over the treatment with an EC of

2.0 dSm-1. Similar observations of the decrease in the shoot dry weight, root dry weight

and total dry weight was observed with the increase in EC of the irrigation water.

The chlorophyll content of the leaves was observed to be decreasing with the increase in

salinity which was observed to be 17.8 per cent, 56 per cent and 37.4 per cent more for

the chlorophyll ‘a’, chlorophyll ‘b’ and total chlorophyll respectively under 0.20 dSm -1

irrigation water over the treatment with an EC of 2.0 dSm-1.

With regard to the soil physico-chemical properties, with the increase in the EC

level a gradual increase in the soil EC was observed. The soil pH also increased slightly

with increase in EC but it was not significant. The soil organic carbon decreased in

treatments with the lower EC up to 1.0 dSm-1 while it increased in treatments with EC

above 1.25 dSm-1 due to the lower decomposition rate with the increase in EC. Similarly

a lower amount of available nitrogen was observed in soil which was treated with
irrigation water with an EC upto 1.0 dSm-1 which was more available in higher salinity

conditions due to lesser decomposition of organic matter. With regard to available

phosphorus a non significant difference was observed. Available potassium was found to

increase with increasing EC, as calcium cations in the irrigation water increases the

release of the clay bound potassium.

A general decline in the population of fungi, actinomycetes and bacteria with the

increase in EC levels was observed. The higher salinity conditions causes plasmolysis

and unfavourable conditions for the growth of the micro-organisms. The higher

proportion of these micro-organisms at lower level of EC in the irrigation water increased

the mineralization process and helped in the better availability of nutrients for the growth

of cuttings.

The results from the above study inferred that for the vegetative propagation of

Bambusa vulgaris through single nodal culm cutting planted in polybag containers the

irrigation water should have an EC level upto 1.0 dSm-1. The growth potential declines

with the increase in EC above this limit and inhibit sprouting completely at EC of

3.0 dSm-1 and 4.0 dSm-1. Hence, for vegetative propagation of Bambusa vulgaris the EC

of the irrigation water used should always be less than 1.0 dSm -1 for getting high

percentage of sprouting and good quality seedlings.