Role of potassium in cultivation of salt affected soils irrigated with saline groundwater by triticale wheat crop

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out during 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons at Al-Tuwaitha Research Station, 30 km southeast of Baghdad, to study effect of some potassium fertilizer levels on growth and yield of triticale wheat grown in calcareous soil with salinity of 17.4 dS.m-1. Saline well water (4.33 dS.m-1) was used to irrigate plants. Four fertilizer levels were used: fertilization with nitrogen and phosphorus at rate 150 and 80 kg. ha-1 respectively as F0 (control), fertilization with three levels of K 100, 150, 200 kg. ha-1 (F1, F2 and F3).So, for all levels added 150 and 80 kg.ha-1 of N and P respectively. The results of two seasons showed a significant increase in the dry matter and grain yield of the triticale wheat crop during fertilization with the selected levels of K. The increase in grain yield as a mean for the three seasons was 8.84%, 24.26%, and 46.0% for F1, F2, and F3 compared to the F0 .. This clearly shows the positive and effective role of the potassium fertilizer used to increase triticale wheat tolerance to salinity and yield enhancement.