Gas exchange and growth of colored cotton under salt stress and application of salicylic acid

The occurrence of water sources with high salt content stands out as a limiting factor for the expansion of irrigated agriculture in the semi-arid region. In this context, it is essential to look for strategies to mitigate the effects of salt stress, and the application of salicylic acid stands out. The objective of this study was to evaluate gas exchange and growth of the naturally colored cotton cv. BRS Jade under saline water irrigation and foliar application of salicylic acid under semi-arid conditions. The experiment was carried out in containers adapted as drainage lysimeters, under open air conditions at the Center of Science and Agri-Food Technology of the Federal University of Campina Grande in Pombal, Paraiba, Brazil. A randomized block design was adopted, in a 5 x 5 factorial scheme, with treatments resulting from the combination of five levels of electrical conductivity of irrigation water - ECw (0.3, 1.8, 3.3, 4.8, and 6.3 dS m(-1)) associated with five concentrations of salicylic acid - SA (0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, and 6.0 mM), with three replicates. Water salinity from 0.3 dS m(-1) limited the photosynthetic efficiency and therefore the growth of cotton cv. BRS Jade. Foliar application of SA at concentration of 6.0 mM mitigated the effects of salt stress on the stomatal conductance and leaf transpiration of these plants. However, SA concentrations ranging from 0 to 6.0 mM reduce the internal CO2 concentration, growth in stem diameter and plant height, and root and stem dry mass accumulation of cotton plants cv. BRS Jade.