RESPONSE OF Calliandra eri'ophylla Benth SEEDLINGS TO SALINE WATER IRRIGATION UNDER El-ARISH CONDITIONS

Two field experiments were carried out during two successive seasons of
2003i2004 and 2004i2005 on sandy soil at the Experimental Farm of the Faculty of
Environmental Agriculture Science. El-Arish. Suez Canal University to evaluate the
effect of using the regional high salinity groundwater from representative wells (3200
ppm. as control. 5120 and 7040 ppm.) in drip irrigation of the transplants of Caiiiandra
eriophyila Benth.
The results generally showed that using saline well water as drip irrigation at
3200 and 5120 ppm. had non significant effects on vegetative growth of seedlings.
Increasing the level of salinity above 5120 was accompanied with significant
decreases in most vegetative growth characters compared with control (3200 ppm.).
On the other hand. all saline water irrigation levels above control decreased the
pigments content. Generally there were steady increases in the leaf content of proline.
as well as Na. Ca and Cl.