Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Forests and Rangelands Research Department, Qom Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Qom, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Desert Research Department, Forestry and Rangeland Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Promotion Organization, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Background and objectives
The vast country of Iran, due to its location in the arid region of the earth and the lack of rainfall, has suffered from drought and groundwater depletion. The reduction of precipitation and soil moisture has a great effect on soil vegetation. The use of various types of moisture absorbent materials that reduce water consumption and increase the time of plant access to water in the soil plays a big role in water conservation. Plantbac panels are made from cellulose waste and can be used to increase the water retention capacity of the soil in dry areas, especially in desert areas.
Methodology
In order to investigate the effect of Plantbac panels on the amount of water consumption and growth of Atriplex plant, the research was carried out in the area of Hesarsokh located ten kilometers north-east of Qom city for three years (2019-2021). The experiment was carried out as split plots in the form of randomized complete blocks including 12 plots in three replications. The main plot included irrigation treatments at intervals of 10 days (control) and 20 days, and the sub-plot included two treatments of using and not using Plantbac panels (control). To investigate the effect of Plantbac panels on seedling growth at the end of each growing season in each year, traits including: survival, height and crown diameter of the seedling were measured and compared with the control of the same treatment. Statistical analyzes including minimum and maximum traits, standard deviation, simple variance analysis of variables, compound analysis, comparison of averages with least significant difference (LSD) method for seedling height growth and crown diameter growth traits were performed.
Results
There was no difference in seedling survival in the treatments of using Plantbac and control in irrigation with a 10 days interval. While in the treatment of Plantbac panels and the control, 5% of the seedlings were dried, and in the treatment of using the Plantbac panels, 21% and 40% of the seedlings were seen in the control. Combined variance analysis showed that the simple effects of using Plantbac panels, year and the interaction effect of irrigation in the year on the height growth of Atriplex were significant (P≤0.01). Also, the effect of irrigation treatments, the use of Plantbac panels, the mutual effect of irrigation in the year and the effect of the year had a significant difference in the diameter growth trait of the crown of Atriplex seedlings (P≤0.05). The comparison of the average traits showed that the Atriplex seedlings in the "3rd year × 20 days irrigation interval" had the highest height 6.32 cm, and in the "1st year × 20 days irrigation interval" with 9.75 cm, had the lowest height growth. Also, Atriplex seedlings had the highest crown diameter growth in the "3rd year × irrigation interval 10 days " with 22.11 cm growth, and the lowest crown diameter growth had in the "2nd year × 20 day interval irrigation" with 17.33 cm.
Conclusion
The results of the research showed that the effect of Plantbac panels on the traits indicating the growth of Atriplex is effective. The use Plantbac panels reduces losses in the survival of Atriplex seedlings. In other words, the use of Plantbac panels can have an effect in reducing the losses of Atriplex seedlings in saline lands. Also, the height growth of Atriplex in the treatment of using Plantbac panels was higher than the control. The general results of the research showed that the use of Plantbac panels can have an effect in reducing the losses of Atriplex in saline lands. Also, the diameter and height growth of Atriplex in the following years of planting was higher than the first year, which can be due to the possibility of establishing and improving the soil conditions for plant growth in the following years after planting as a result of using Plantbac panels.
Keywords
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