Response of chile pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) to salt stress and organic and inorganic nitrogen sources: III. Ion uptake and translocation

the combined effect of salinity and two n sources on content, uptake rate and translocation of nutrients by chile pepper plants (capsicum annuum l.) cv. sandia was investigated in a greenhouse experiment. either an organic-n liquid fertilizer extracted from grass clippings or ammonium nitrate, an inorganic fertilizer, were combined with three different soil salinity treatments (1.5, 4.5, and 6.5 ds m-1). fertilizer treatments were two rates of organic-n fertilizer (120 and 200 kg ha-1) and 120 kg ha-1 of inorganic fertilizer. the combination of each n rate and source with the three salinity levels were arranged in a randomized complete block design replicated four times. the use of the organic-n source produced greater cation contents (ca2+, mg2+, na+ and k+) in roots, shoots, and enhanced the uptake rates and translocation of cations to shoots compared to plants fertilized with inorganic -n. the root and shoot concentration, uptake rates and root-to-shoot transport of cl- increased at increasing salinity. higher contents of cl- and cations in chile pepper shoots in relation to roots were observed. it was also observed that high n rate from the organic source enhanced the cation contents in both roots and shoots. salinity diminished n content, n uptake rate and root to shoot transport in both roots and shoots.