Effects of Irrigation Water in Different Salinity on Yield and Quality Parameters of Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) Plant

Salinity affects many areas in our country and around the world, resulting in dramatic reductions in plant yields. In this study, the plant yield, some plant quality parameters, and soil salinity in the plant root area were investigated by irrigating tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.) with different salinity irrigation waters. The experiment was carried out in pots in 4 replicates according to the randomized plot design. Six different salinity of irrigation water applications were applied in the experiment (S0 = 0.38 dS m⁻¹, S1 = 2 dS m⁻¹, S2 = 5 dS m⁻¹, S3 = 8 dS m⁻¹, S4 = 11 dS m⁻¹, S5 = 15 dS m⁻¹). According to the data obtained at the end of the research, as the salinity of irrigation water increased, plant length, leaf width, leaf length, leaf dry weight and leaf number decreased. It was determined that there was a certain increase in nicotine content in the face of the decrease of all examined physical parameters in irrigation water increase. In addition, the salinity values in the plant root zone soils and the salinity values in the outlet (drainage) water have also increased. Salinity threshold value of the tobacco plant was determined to be 2.04 dS m⁻¹. With an increase in salinity by one unit, there was a 7.1% decrease in leaf dry weight. It was determined that the tobacco plant is vulnerable to salinity based on the data collected.