Journal of Environmental Biology

Effects of calcium nitrate and humic acid on pepper seedling

growth under saline condition

 

Fusun Gulser*, Ferit Sonmez and Sibel Boysan

 

Soil Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Yuzuncu Yil University, 65080 Van, Turkey

(Received: March 13, 2009; Revised received: October 15, 2009; Accepted: December 10, 2009)

 

Abstract: This study was carried out in order to determine effects of calcium nitrate and humic acid applications on pepper seedling growth under saline condition. A mixture of soil:sand (1:1) was used as a plant growing media including 90 mg kg^-1 P₂O₅, 180 mg kg^-1 K₂O and 250 mg kg^-1 N. Four different doses of humic acid (0, 1000, 2000 and 4000 mg kg^-1) and calcium nitrate (0, 50, 100 and 150 mg kg^-1) were applied into the growing media. Before sowing Demre variety pepper seeds, 60 m mol NaCl was added into 300 cm³ soil:sand mixture in each pot. Applications of humic acid and calcium nitrate significantly affected pepper seedling growth. 1000 and 2000 mg kg^-1 humic acid and 50 mg kg^-1 calcium nitrate applications increased fresh and dry leaf weight, fresh and dry root weight, stem diameter, root length and shoot length. The highest rates of humic acid (4000 mg kg^-1) and calcium nitrate (100 and 150 mg kg^-1) decreased these criteria of pepper seedling under the saline soil condition.

Key words: Pepper seedling, Salt stress, Humic acid, Calcium nitrate, Growth

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