Growth and Chemical Composition of Pistachio Cultivars as Influenced by Irrigation Regimes and Salinity Levels of Irrigation Water. 1. Growth

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Abstract
The effects were studied of three irrigation intervals (1,3 and 7 days) and five salinity levels of irrigation water (0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 mmhos cm−1) on the growth and water needs of Pistachio vera cvs Fandoghi and Badami under glasshouse conditions. The treatments started when the seedlings were four weeks old. After 11 weeks the dry weights of leaves, stems and roots were measured, the total leaf area determined together with the number of leaves per plant, stem height and the upper and lower stem diameters. At the highest salinity level 40% and 34% reductions in growth were observed with 7-day irrigation for cvs Fandoghi and Badami respectively. A 7-day irrigation interval was compatible with the minimum soil matric potential of —5 bar and 87% depletion of soil water holding capacity. Growth was more reduced in the absence of salinity when about 50% of the soil moisture-holding capacity was available for optimum growth of cv Badami, but a lower percentage for cv Fandoghi. The evapotranspiration rate of cv Badami was lower than that of cv Fandoghi. Under wet irrigation regimes the reduction in shoot growth occurred at the electrical conductivity of soil saturation extract (ECe) of 12 mmhos cm−1 for Badami and > 13 mmhos cm−1 for Fandoghi. Under dry irrigation regimes shoot growth was reduced at ECe values greater than 15 mmhos cm−1.