Effect of Phosphorus in Alleviation of Adverse Impacts of Salinity on Wheat Grown on Different Soils

Fertilization management is an important technique to alleviate the adverse effects of salinity stress on plants. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the ameliorative role of inorganic phosphorus (P) and organic P sources on wheat grown under salt stress in three soil types deficient in available P. Wheat (Triticum asetivum L. cv. Shakha 93) was grown on alluvial, sandy, and calcareous soils under salinity levels of 4, 8, and 12 dS m(-1) of saturated paste extract (ECe) and supplied with constant rate of 30 mg P2O5 kg soil(-1) as superphosphate (SP), cattle manure (CM), and 1:1 mixture of SP and CM. The results revealed that plants grown on the sandy soil were more susceptible to the adverse effects of salinity compared with those planted on the alluvial one, especially at zero P. Plants grown on the calcareous soil were moderately affected. Varying soil type caused significant differences in the aboveground biomass and uptake of nitrogen (N), potassium (K), P, and zinc (Zn). It was obvious that P ameliorated wheat growth under salt stress, and this role was greater under moderate and high salinity. The increases in N, P, K, and Zn uptake appeared driven by P application were more conspicuous in the sandy and calcareous soils. Results also indicated that combined application of inorganic and organic P sources surpassed both when applied solely under all soil types and salinity levels.