The Effects of Irrigation Water Salinity on the Synthesis of Photosynthetic Pigments, Gas Exchange, and Photochemical Efficiency of Sour Passion Fruit Genotypes

The objective of this study was to evaluate the synthesis of photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange, and photochemical efficiency of sour passion fruit genotypes irrigated with saline water under the conditions of the semi-arid region of Paraíba state, Brazil. The experiment was conducted at the experimental farm in São Domingos, PB. A randomized block design was adopted, in a 5 × 3 factorial scheme, with five levels of electrical conductivity of irrigation water—ECw (0.3, 1.1, 1.9, 2.7, and 3.5 dS m(−1))—and three genotypes of sour passion fruit (Gigante Amarelo—‘BRS GA1’; Sol do Cerrado—‘BRS SC1’; and Catarina—‘SCS 437’. The increase in the electrical conductivity of irrigation water negatively affected most of the physiological characteristics of the sour passion fruit at 154 days after transplanting. Significant differences were observed between sour passion fruit genotypes when its tolerance was subjected to the salinity of irrigation water. There was an increase in the percentage of damage to the cell membrane with the increase in the electrical conductivity of irrigation water, with maximum values of 70.63, 60.86, and 80.35% for the genotypes ‘BRS GA1’, ‘BRS SC1’, and SCS 437’, respectively, when irrigated with water of 3.5 dS m(−1). The genotype ‘BRS Sol do Cerrado’ showed an increase in the synthesis of photosynthetic pigments when irrigated with water of 3.5 dS m(−1), with maximum values estimated at 1439.23 μg mL(−1) (Chl a); 290.96 μg mL(−1) (Chl b); 1730.19 μg mL−1 (Chl t); and 365.84 μg mL(−1) (carotenoids). An increase in photosynthetic efficiency parameters (F(0), Fm, and Fv) of the genotype ‘BRS Gigante Amarelo’ was observed when cultivated with water with high electrical conductivity (3.5 dS m(−1)).