Effects of irrigation with magnetized saline water on Vitis vinifera growth and soil mineral nutrients

Abstract: 【Objective】A potted experiment using two-year-old grape vines was carried out to explore the effects of irrigation with magnetized saline water on the properties of vine growth and the characteristics of mineral nutrients in the soil.【Methods】Healthy and uniform Vitis vinifera × V. labrusca'Summer Black'vines were selected and divided into six groups, which were irrigated with magnetized(MSW) or non-magnetized saline water(NMSW) at 0, 3.0 or 6.0 g∙L~(-1), and the characteristics of vine growth, indexes of root morphology, contents of trace elements, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were investigated under different filed conditions. The magnetizing device was provided by Magnetic Technology L.L.C. of Dubai.【Results】The shoot growth, leaf area, leaf number, total length, surface area, average diameter and volume of roots, as well the contents of total nitrogen and available phosphorus in the soil were significantly influenced by MSW(p<0.01), and the content of available potassium also showed significant difference(p<0.05) among treatments. When irrigated with saline water, there were significant variations in growth index of the above-ground, root morphological indexes, and the contents of Fe, Mn, Zn in leaf, nitrate nitrogen, inorganic nitrogen, total phosphorus, available phosphorus, available potassium, Mn and Zn in the soil(p<0.01). Moreover, the interaction between the saline water irrigation and the magnetic treatment was very significant on Zn in the leaf and ammonium nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium in the soil(p<0.01), and on Fe and Mn in the leaf,and inorganic nitrogen and Cu in the soil(p<0.05). Compared with the treatment of NM0, the leaf area was significantly increased by 19.42% and the content of Zn in the leaf by 57.18% by the treatment of M0(p<0.05). Compared with the treatment of NM3, the shoot growth, leaf area, leaf number, total length, surface area, and the average diameter and volume of roots were significantly increased by the treatment of M3(p<0.05), while the content of Zn in the leaf and the contents of total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, inorganic nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium were significantly(p<0.05) decreased by 19.41%, 44.37%, 27.79%, 29.72%, 28.53% and 10.40%, respectively. Compared with the treatment of NM6, M6 increased the shoot growth, leaf area, total root length, and the contents of Fe and Mn in the leaf by 25.56%, 26.16%, 33.75%, 5.87% and 15.57%, respectively, whereas the content of Cu was decreased by 10.72%(p<0.05).【Conclusion】Compared with irrigation with saline water, irrigation with magnetized saline water could improve the growth of leaves and shoots, promote root development, improve the utilization soil nutrients, accelerate salt and water transport and leaching of Cu, improve the supply of available nitrogen in the soil, and promote the desorption of phosphorus and potassium in soil. At the same time, magnetic treatment of saline water could enhance the absorption and utilization of soil nutrients by plants, and promote root growth and plant development. Above all, we could see that the magnetized saline water irrigation could promote the accumulation of mineral nutrients and the release of available nutrients and improve the absorption and utilization of available nutrients by plants. The study provides a good reference for the application of magnetic technique and the utilization of brackish water to the agro-forestry production.