Enhancing salt tolerance and crop growth in agricultural systems: the impact of magnetized-ionized water irrigation on soil properties, microbial communities, and cotton growth

BACKGROUNDThe development of agricultural practices requires an understanding of the improvement of salt tolerance and crop growth in agricultural systems through magnetized-ionized water irrigation.METHODThis study examined the impacts of fresh water (F), brackish water (B), magnetized-ionized fresh water (MIF), and magnetized-ionized brackish water (MIB) on soil properties and the growth of cotton seedlings through microbial analysis during the cotton seedling period.RESULTSThe results revealed that magnetized-ionized water irrigation improved soil water retention and promoted salt leaching. In comparison with F irrigation, plant height, leaf area index (LAI), dry matter accumulation (DM), and chlorophyll content (SPAD) levels increased by 3.61%, 4.07%, 5.76%, and 1.33%, respectively, under MIF irrigation. Similarly, when compared with B irrigation, LAI, DM, and SPAD increased by 5.13%, 6.12%, and 3.12% under MIB irrigation. Magnetized-ionized water irrigation also led to a notable rise in the relative abundance of beneficial soil bacterial communities, particularly Pseudomonas and Azoarcus, as well as fungal communities like Trichoderma, while reducing the prevalence of pathogenic fungi, such as Lasionectria, Gibberella, and Alternaria. Notably, this irrigation approach induced alterations in soil properties, and partial least squares path modeling revealed significant links between soil properties and both cotton growth and fungal community structure (with path coefficients of -0.884 and 0.693, respectively).CONCLUSIONThis study elucidated the distinct effects of soil properties and growth indices on cotton yield during the seedling period, providing a crucial scientific foundation for enhancing future agricultural production through the use of magnetized-ionized water irrigation. (c) 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.