Effect of water salinity and organic and chemical fertilizer on morphological and agronomic characteristics of borage (Borago officinalis)

Subject Areas : Journal of Plant Ecophysiology

P. Yadollahi ¹ (باشگاه پژوهشگران جوان، واحد شهرکرد، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، شهرکرد، ایران)
M. R. Asgharipour ² (گروه زراعت و اصلاح نباتات، دانشگاه زابل، زابل، ایران)

Received: 2015-09-26 Accepted : 2015-09-26 Published : 2015-09-01

Keywords: salt stress, Quantitative characteristics, medicinal plants, Sistan region,

Abstract :

In this study, the effect of water salinity accompanied by organic and inorganic fertilizer was examined on the growth, quantitative characteristics and photosynthetic pigments in borage plants. The experimental was split plot based on complete block design with three replicates. Treatments were two irrigation sources: irrigation with fresh and saline water (EC: 4.18 dS m-1) as the main plots, and four fertilization systems: application of NPK at 80:40:30 kg ha-1, 40 t ha-1 of manure, NPK at 40:20:15 kg ha-1 plus 20 ton of manure ha-1 and no soil fertility as sub-plot. The experiment was conducted in 2012 at the Zabol University Research Farm, Zabol, Iran. The results showed that irrigation with saline water significantly reduced plant height, flowering stem height, inflorescence height, number of flowers per inflorescence, number of branches, content of chlorophyll and carotenoid. Application of fertilizer significantly increased all studied traits compared with the control. Combination of organic and inorganic fertilizer was more effective than sole application and increased inflorescence height, number of lateral branches, number of flowers per inflorescence, chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll and carotenoids by 19.4, 30.9, 31.5, 25.6, 24.8 and 25.3 percent over control, respectively. Interaction of water quality and fertilization was significant on plant height, inflorescence height, chlorophyll b, plant dry weight and flowering shoot weight and fertilization protect economic yield against saline water. It is concluded that fertilization, especially combination of organic and inorganic fertilizer, could be recommended for economical production of borage under saline condition in Zabol.