Salt tolerance of Papaya (Carica papaya), Indian spinach (Basella alba L.) and Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) in the south central coastal region of Bangladesh

Abstract

A study was conducted on saline tolerant vegetables with their mineral constituents for nutritional security during July 2020 to June 2021. Edible portions of the three summer vegetables, such as papaya, Indian spinach and okra were collected from Barguna and Patuakhali districts. The locations were Sawdagarpara, Taltoli, Barguna district, Pakhimara of Khepupara upazila and Dumki of Patuakhali district. Sawdagarpara (saline soil, EC=6.2 dSm-1), Taltoli, Barguna district and Pakhimara (saline soil, EC=3.8 dSm-1), Khepupara, Patuakhali district were selected as the saline areas and Dumki (non-saline soil, EC=0.9 dSm-1), Patuakhali was a non-saline area on the basis of soil EC levels. The vegetables were analyzed for P, K, Ca, Mg and S. In saline areas, comparatively lower accumulations of P and higher accumulations of K, Ca, Mg and S were found in non-saline areas. Considering the achieved findings, studied vegetables can tolerate moderate salinity (soil EC value up to 6.2dSm-1) and they can be recommended to grow commercially in the study area for nutritional security. The accumulation trend in the vegetables was Ca>Mg>P>K>S. On the basis of total mineral ingredients, the trend of vegetables was found to be Indian spinach> papaya> okra. Therefore, the study recommended that Carica papaya, Basella alba L. and Abelmoschus esculentus are the moderately saline tolerant vegetable crops.