Document Type : Research article
Authors
1
Department of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research, Horticulture Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt
2
Improvement and Conservation of Cultivated Soils Research Department, Soils, Water and Environment Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza 12619, Egypt
3
Central Laboratory of Organic Agriculture, Agricultural Research Center, Giza 12619, Egypt
10.21608/aasj.2025.449633
Abstract
The aim of this experiment was to examine the response of Nigella sativa subjected to water stress conditions and the extent of response to exogenous additives that promote the plant’s resistance to water stress. The present investigation was conducted as a factorial experiment in the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 seasons on newly reclaimed land. The main plot designated for the irrigation regime comprised 60%, 80%, and 100% ETc, while the sub-plots included exogenous additives including a control, potassium silicate at 5 ml/l, salicylic acid at 300 ppm, and humic acid at 0.04 %. The highest values for plant growth, seed yield, and fixed oil yield were achieved with the highest irrigation level (100 % ETc), whereas the lowest values were noticed at the lowest irrigation level (60 % ETc) in both seasons. The use of exogenous additives resulted in a significant enhancement of the growth characteristics, seed yield, and irrigation water productivity relative to the control, with salicylic acid exhibiting the most pronounced effect, followed by potassium silicate and humic acid. The combination of 100 % ETc with salicylic acid at 300 ppm or potassium silicate at 5 ml/l produced optimal results. Water stress significantly affected the level of protein, total carbohydrates, and free proline. The highest protein and carbohydrate contents were achieved with 80% and 100 % ETc treatments, however the highest concentration of free proline was recorded at 60% ETc in both seasons. The application of potassium silicate at 5 ml/l resulted in the highest levels of protein and free proline content over both seasons, whereas the highest total carbohydrates were achieved with salicylic acid at 300 ppm during the two seasons.
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