Effect of K-type and Ca-type artificial zeolites applied to high sodic soil on the growth of plants different in salt tolerance

Figures & data

Table 1 Date of sowing, transplanting and sampling of each plant species in 2000

Plant	Sowing	Transplanting	Sampling
			1st	2nd	3rd
Kidney bean	30-Aug	8-Sep	12-Sep (4)	19-Sep (11)	4-Oct (26)
Tomato	3-Aug	31-Aug	4-Sep (4)	11-Sep (11)	25-Sep (25)
Maize	5-Aug	11-Aug	15-Aug (4)	24-Aug (13)	7-Sep (27)
Beet	25-Aug	14-Sep	18-Sep (4)	27-Sep (13)	10-Oct (26)
Numbers in parentheses refer to the days after transplanting.

Table 2 Chemical properties of the soils before cultivation

	Concentration (cmolc kg^−1) for saturation extracts										EC (dS m^−1)	pH	ESP	Classification
	K^+	Na^+	Ca^2+	Mg^2+	CI	NO^− 2	CO^− 3	CO^2− 3	HCO^− 3	SO^2− 4
CO	0.15 b	0.06 a	0.44 c	0.51 c	0.31 b	0.00 a	0.29 c	0.55 e	0.000 a	0.01 a	3.9 a	6.23 a	−5 a	nSa • nSo
HSO	0.04 a	1.43 b	0.00 a	0.00 a	0.36 b	0.00 a	0.28 c	0.60 f	0.015 c	0.26 d	5.2 c	9.93 d	78 g	Sa • So
HSO-KZ1	0.04 a	1.37 b	0.01 a	0.01 a	0.09 a	0.07 b	0.05 a	0.07 a	0.024 d	0.26 d	3.9 a	9.89 d	58 e	nSa • So
HSO-KZ2	0.08 ab	1.45 b	0.01 a	0.00 a	0.09 a	0.07 b	0.05 a	0.07 a	0.035 e	0.28 e	4.2 a	10.03 d	62 e	Sa • So
HSO-KZ5	2.36 b	1.20 b	0.00 a	0.00 a	0.34 b	0.00 a	0.29 c	0.41 c	0.062 f	0.34 f	5.0 b	10.43 e	69 f	Sa • So
HSO-CAZ1	0.07 ab	2.43 d	0.08 b	0.02 a	0.16 a	0.12 d	0.09 b	0.12 b	0.008 b	0.13 c	6.5 d	8.39 c	46 d	Sa • So
HSO-CAZ2	0.07 ab	1.93 c	0.08 b	0.02 a	0.13 a	0.10 c	0.07 ab	0.09 ab	0.008 b	0.13 c	5.6 c	8.52 c	39 c	Sa • So
HSO-CAZ5	0.10 ab	2.42 d	0.71 d	0.07 b	2.15 c	0.00 a	0.30 c	0.47 d	0.000 a	0.05 b	9.8 e	7.95 b	22 b	Sa • So
Different letters indicate significant differences at P < 0.05 using Duncan's new multiple range test. CO, control soil; HSO, high sodic soil; KZ1, KZ2, KZ5, CAZ1 CAZ2 and CAZ5, 1, 2 and 5% (w/w) K-type or Ca-type zeolite treatments, respectively; EC, electrical conductivity; ESP, exchangeable sodium percentage; nSa • nSo, non-saline • non-sodic soil (EC < 4.0 and ESP < 15); nSa • So, non-saline • sodic soil (EC<4.0 and ESP>15); Sa • So, saline • sodic soil (EC > 4.0 and ESP > 15) (US Salinity Laboratory Staff 1954).

Table 3 Dry weight (g plant−1) of the shoots and roots of the plants

	Shoots	Shoots	Shoots	Roots
Kidney bean	4 DAT	11 DAT	26 DAT	26 DAT
CO	0.086 a	0.303 d	1.49 b	0.336 c
HSO	0.073 a	0.062 a	dead	dead
HSO-KZ1	0.076 a	0.081 ab	dead	dead
HSO-KZ2	0.078 a	0.084 ab	dead	dead
HSO-KZ5	0.074 a	0.069 a	dead	dead
HSO-CAZ1	0.079 a	0.115 bc	0.24 a	0.031 b
HSO-CAZ2	0.085 a	0.131 c	0.28 a	0.077 b
HSO-CAZ5	0.081 a	0.119 bc	0.28 a	0.068 a
Tomato	4 DAT	11 DAT	25 DAT	25 DAT
CO	0.032 ab	0.140 d	1.12 c	0.120 c
HSO	0.029 ab	0.051 a	dead	dead
HSO-KZ1	0.033 b	0.038 a	dead	dead
HSO-KZ2	0.027 a	0.031 a	dead	dead
HSO-KZ5	0.031 ab	0.025 a	dead	dead
HSO-CAZ1	0.034 b	0.089 b	0.28 a	0.059 b
HSO-CAZ2	0.040 c	0.100 c	0.36 b	0.051 b
HSO-CAZ5	0.031 ab	0.073 b	0.23 a	0.031 a
Maize	4 DAT	13 DAT	27 DAT	27 DAT
CO	0.075 d	0.499 d	3.47 c	1.90 b
HSO	0.059 bc	0.091 a	dead	dead
HSO-KZ1	0.055 b	0.082 a	dead	dead
HSO-KZ2	0.052 ab	0.077 a	dead	dead
HSO-KZ5	0.045 a	0.071 a	dead	dead
HSO-CAZ1	0.066 cd	0.242 c	0.83 a	0.54 a
HSO-CAZ2	0.066 cd	0.270 c	1.33 b	0.84 a
HSO-CAZ5	0.052 ab	0.181 b	0.69 a	0.49 a
Beet	4 DAT	13 DAT	26 DAT	26 DAT
CO	0.023 d	0.095 d	0.437 d	0.102 cd
HSO	0.014 b	0.034 b	0.066 b	0.012 a
HSO-KZ1	0.010 a	0.014 a	0.032 ab	0.005 a
HSO-KZ2	0.010 a	0.013 a	0.022 a	0.003 a
HSO-KZ5	0.009 a	0.012 a	0.013 a	0.002 a
HSO-CAZ1	0.019 c	0.072 c	0.304 c	0.095 c
HSO-CAZ2	0.017 c	0.075 c	0.337 c	0.121 d
HSO-CAZ5	0.017 bc	0.065 c	0.305 c	0.072 b
Different letters indicate significant differences at P < 0.05 using Duncan's new multiple range test. CO, control soil; HSO, high sodic soil; KZ1, KZ2, KZ5, CAZ1 CAZ2 and CAZ5, 1, 2 and 5% (w/w) K-type or Ca-type zeolite treatments, respectively; DAT, days after transplanting.

Table 4 Water deficit (%) of plant shoots

	4 DAT	11 DAT	26 DAT
Kidney bean
CO	0.00 a	0.00 a	0.00 a
HSO	3.23 cd	24.5 bc	–
HSO-KZ1	3.17 bcd	13.1 d	–
HSO-KZ2	3.93 d	39.0 cd	–
HSO-KZ5	4.40 d	30.9 d	–
HSO-CAZ1	1.09 ab	–0.70 ab	4.48 a
HSO-CA72	1.48 abc	–0.85 ab	–0.52 a
HSO-CAZ5	1.71 abc	–0.74 ab	–1.38 a
Tomato
CO	0.00 a	0.00 a	0.00 a
HSO	1.22 ab	2.30 b	–
HSO-KZ1	2.36 c	5.80 b	–
HSO-KZ2	3.32 d	3.76 b	–
HSO-KZ5	3.69 d	4.81 b	–
HSO-CAZ1	0.85 ab	1.15 a	0.26 a
HSO-CAZ2	0.96 ab	1.20 a	0.16 a
HSO-CAZ5	1.14 b	1.93 a	–1.87 a
Maize
CO	0.00 a	0.00 a	0.00 a
HSO	2.87 c	7.90 b	–
HSO-KZ1	3.63 cd	7.77 b	–
HSO-KZ2	4.03 d	9.94 b	–
HSO-KZ5	5.50 e	8.20 b	–
HSO-CAZ1	3.29 cd	2.12 a	–0.67 a
HSO-CAZ2	1.86 b	1.64 a	1.02 a
HSO-CAZ5	3.80 cd	2.62 a	0.97 a
Beet
CO	0.00 a	0.00 a	0.00 a
HSO	2.49 a	5.58 a	1.35 ab
HSO-KZ1	6.69 b	14.0 b	3.14 ab
HSO-KZ7	11.0 d	23.0 c	4.00 b
HSO-KZ5	15.8 e	28.0 c	9.82 c
HSO-CAZ1	0.26 a	0.09 a	–0.22 a
HSO-CAZ7	0.16 a	–0.18 a	–0.26 a
HSO-CAZ5	0.62 a	0.53 a	0.67 ab
Different letters indicate significant differences at P < 0.05 using Duncan's new multiple range test. CO, control soil; HSO, high sodic soil; KZ1, KZ2, KZ5, CAZ1 CAZ2 and CAZ5, 1, 2 and 5% (w/w) K-type or Ca-type zeolite treatments, respectively; DAT, days after transplanting.

Table 5 Concentration of elements (cmol kg−1) in plant shoots 4 days after transplanting

	P	K	Na	Ca	Mg
Kidney bean
CO	7.79 bc	99.4 b	1.08 a	26.9 d	32.1 d
HSO	8.01 c	68.8 a	72.0 cd	7.50 a	12.6 a
HSO-KZ1	7.10 ab	70.3 a	45.9 bc	7.50 a	11.7 a
HSO-KZ2	7.28 abc	76.4 a	90.1 d	8.98 a	14.7 b
HSO-KZ5	6.97 ab	75.1 a	68.0 cd	9.36 a	12.6 a
HSO-CAZ1	7.58 abc	94.7 b	14.0 a	17.0 b	19.8 c
HSO-CAZ2	7.05 ab	99.6 b	7.89 a	21.7 c	19.8 c
HSO-CAZ5	6.87 a	103 b	6.39 a	36.7 e	20.5 c
Tomato
CO	8.37 b	106 c	13.2 a	46.2 c	62.5 d
HSO	8.69 b	49.5 a	162 c	28.6 a	36.4 ab
HSO-KZ1	8.32 b	53.5 a	156 c	24.5 a	34.5 a
HSO-KZ2	8.25 b	53.8 a	167 c	26.5 a	33.7 a
HSO-KZ5	8.00 b	66.1 b	166 c	26.0 a	33.8 a
HSO-CAZ1	7.81 b	64.0 b	123 b	34.7 b	38.1 bc
HSO-CAZ2	7.33 ab	67.5 b	108 b	36.6 b	37.7 bc
HSO-CAZ5	6.26 ab	65.9 b	104 b	53.2 d	39.9 c
Maize
CO	22.3 c	92.7 d	0.06 a	14.1 d	30.6 e
HSO	17.4 b	32.2 a	21.9 b	3.86 a	21.0 b
HSO-KZ1	15.0 ab	30.2 a	29.6 c	3.08 a	17.2 a
HSO-KZ2	17.5 b	31.6 a	18.2 b	3.38 a	20.7 b
HSO-KZ5	16.2 b	33.0 a	6.73 a	3.09 a	17.2 a
HSO-CAZ1	13.7 a	46.5 b	51.2 d	5.54 b	23.3 c
HSO-CAZ2	16.8 b	60.3 c	53.1 d	8.20 c	26.0 d
HSO-CAZ5	15.3 ab	59.1 c	32.4 c	15.0 d	24.0 cd
Beet
CO	20.9 a	155 b	124 a	17.7 b	58.7 b
HSO	24.7 ab	75.6 a	229 bc	10.6 a	37.3 a
HSO-KZ1	34.9 c	98.3 a	198 b	11.4 a	38.5 a
HSO-KZ2	32.0 bc	96.7 a	196 b	12.2 a	39.5 a
HSO-KZ5	35.8 c	98.8 a	194 b	13.1 a	42.6 a
HSO-CAZ1	25.4 ab	81.0 a	255 c	10.7 a	37.5 a
HSO-CAZ2	28.2 abc	90.2 a	321 d	13.3 a	45.4 a
HSO-CAZ5	21.2 a	85.9 a	276 cd	22.6 c	45.0 a
Different letters indicate significant differences at P < 0.05 using Duncan's new multiple range test. CO, control soil; HSO, high sodic soil; KZ1, KZ2, KZ5, CAZ1 CAZ2 and CAZ5, 1, 2 and 5% (w/w) K-type or Ca-type zeolite treatments, respectively.

Table 6 Concentration of elements (cmol kg−1) and ratio of Na to (K + Ca + Mg) in beet 26 days after transplanting

	P	K	Na	Ca	Mg	Na/(K + Ca + Mg)
Beet shoots
CO	14.1 c	173 e	47 a	22.9 e	77.1 d	0.17 a
HSO	2.24 a	23.3 a	336 de	6.1 a	25.0 ab	6.23 d
HSO-KZ1	2.17 a	19.4 a	346 ef	11.2 bc	26.3 ab	6.40 d
HSO-KZ2	1.87 a	23.8 a	300 cd	11.6 bc	21.1 a	5.73 d
HSO-KZ5	4.19 b	44.5 b	259 c	21.7 e	31.9 b	2.65 b
HSO-CAZ1	17.0 d	139 d	99 b	42.5 f	56.7 c	0.41 a
HSO-CAZ2	17.7 d	47.6 b	384 f	9.65 b	32.8 b	4.27 c
HSO-CAZ5	13.3 c	67.9 c	292 c	24.8 e	34.1 b	2.30 b
Beet roots
CO	7.48 b	31.0 c	3.0 a	21.3 a	12.4 ab	0.05 a
HSO	1.38 a	9.88 a	57.8 be	14.9 a	15.4 bc	1.72 bc
HSO-KZ1	1.75 a	5.40 a	66.3 cd	14.2 a	16.5 bcd	1.96 c
HSO-KZ2	1.88 a	3.76 a	69.6 de	13.9 a	14.2 abc	2.20 c
HSO-KZ5	1.35 a	2.93 a	32.4 b	15.9 a	9.95 a	1.19 abc
HSO-CAZ1	2.36 a	21.9 b	40.8 be	17.0 a	16.9 cd	0.74 ab
HSO-CAZ2	3.06 a	21.9 b	38.5 b	17.9 a	16.3 bcd	0.68 ab
HSO-CAZ5	2.94 a	33.9 c	39.1 b	35.9 b	20.1 d	0.44 a
Different letters indicate significant differences at P < 0.05 using Duncan's new multiple range test. CO, control soil; HSO, high sodic soil; KZ1, KZ2, KZ5, CAZ1 CAZ2 and CAZ5, 1, 2 and 5% (w/w) K-type or Ca-type zeolite treatments, respectively.

Figure 1  Relative dry weight (DW) and mineral uptake in the Ca-type zeolite (CAZ) treatment compared to the control. Different letters indicate differences at P < 0.05 using Duncan's new multiple test. (□) CAZ1, (░) CAZ2 and (▒) CAZ5 refer to the 1, 2 and 5% (w/w) Ca-type zeolite treatments, respectively. Error bars are standard deviation. DAT, days after transplanting.

Figure 2  Concentration ratios of Na to K, Ca and Mg in shoots 4 days after transplanting (□) CO, (▪) HSO, (░) KZ2 and (▒) CAZ2 refer to control soil, high sodic soil and 2% (w/w) K-type or Ca-type zeolite treatments, respectively. Different letters indicate differences at P < 0.05 using Duncan's new multiple test. Error bars are standard deviation.