Evaluating Jojoba Seedling Growth and Physiological Response to Treated Wastewater Regime

Treated wastewater (TWW) effluent in arid countries is a sustainable source of water and nutrients but has high salinity which can be solved by mixing with freshwater or by selecting appropriate salt tolerant plant. Jojoba is a xerophyte shrub that is economically promising, ecologically posing low risk of link to human food chain, and physiologically surviving high water and salinity stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of TWW on growth and physiology of Jojoba seedlings under greenhouse conditions. Jojoba seedlings growth and physiological parameters were negatively affected by TWW, where seedlings were shorter, leaves smaller, and had lower dry matter by a range between 15-32% compared to FW. Negative physiological response to TWW ranged from 24% for stomata conductance up to 130% for water potential. Mixing FW with TWW gave significant physiological improvement but little growth improvement. It was recommended to use TWW for Jojoba growth only if the economic losses due to salinity are acounted for. Mixing FW with TWW has insignificant practical improvement