EFEITOS DO ESTRESSE SALINO SOBRE MUDAS DE BANANEIRA ‘PRATA CATARINA’ NA CHAPADA DO APODI, CE

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of salinity levels in the irrigation water on the production of banana seedlings ' Prata Catarina ' in the Apodi Platea, State of Ceara. The experiment was carried out from June to July 2014 , under mesh with 50 % shade and in pots filled with local soil (Inceptisol) more manure (7:3 v / v), spaced of 0.25 m x 0.25 m. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design and eight replications, with three plants by plot. We evaluated four salinity levels (1.65, 2.75, 3.85 and 4.95 dS m) by the addition of salt to the irrigation water. It was further applied a treatment with natural irrigation water (no salt added), with approximately 0.55 dS m, totaling five treatments. Irrigation was performed manually and based on the weight of the potted plants and considering a leaching fraction of 0.25. The experiment was conducted for six weeks, and in the last week the potted plants were transferred to natural environment, with pots spaced of 0.50 m x 0.50 m. In general, there was reduction of growth components of the banana seedlings with the increase of the water salinity, which was accompanied by increased electrical conductivity of the saturation extract of the soil close to the expected considering a normal extraction pattern. The effect of salinity on the banana seedlings was more intense on the root system than on the shoot.