Performance Assessment of Moringa oleifera Under Varying Salinity Regimes in Greenhouse Conditions

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Water Science and Engineering. Faculty of Agriculture, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.

2 Department of Plant Production and Genetics of Science and Engineering. Faculty of Agriculture, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.

10.22034/nawee.2026.565979.1186
Abstract
Objective: Salinity of water and soil is one of the major constraints limiting agricultural production in many regions of our country. The scarcity of freshwater resources has increased interest in the use of saline water for irrigation in agriculture and urban green spaces. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of saline water irrigation on the yield and characteristics of Moringa oleifera grown in micro-lysimeters under greenhouse conditions.
Methods: To evaluate the effects of salinity stress on leaf yield, calcium and nitrogen content, and morphological characteristics of Moringa oleifera, a greenhouse experiment was conducted at the Research Greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture, Razi University during 2023–2024. The experiment was carried out as a completely randomized design with three replications under six salinity levels: 1 (control), 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 dS m⁻¹. Morphological traits measured included plant height, stem diameter, number of lateral branches, leaf dry weight, and total biomass dry weight.
Results: The results showed that salinity had a statistically significant effect at the 1% probability level on water use efficiency based on leaf yield, as well as leaf calcium and nitrogen content. Increasing salinity levels reduced leaf yield and calcium content. Statistical analysis also indicated significant correlations at the 5% probability level between nitrogen content and leaf yield, as well as between calcium and nitrogen content. Furthermore, significant differences at the 1% level were observed among salinity treatments for morphological traits, including plant height, stem diameter, number of lateral branches, leaf dry weight, and total biomass dry weight.
Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, saline water with salinity levels up to 4 dS m⁻¹ can be used for irrigation of Moringa oleifera without a significant reduction in leaf yield. Leaf yield, water use efficiency based on leaf yield, and calcium and nitrogen content in leaf extracts decreased significantly under saline irrigation. Moringa oleifera can tolerate irrigation water salinity up to 4 dS m⁻¹ and may therefore serve as a suitable management option in areas with poor-quality saline water resources for cultivation, economic development, and optimal water resource management. In addition, increasing irrigation water salinity reduced plant height, stem diameter, number of lateral branches, leaf dry weight, and total biomass dry weight

Keywords


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