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Tandisseh Bana, S., Astaraei, A., Lakzian, A. (2025). The Effect of Organic Fertilizers Application and Humic Acid Foliar Spraying on Growth Characteristics of Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) in a Saline Soil. , 39(1), 72-57. doi: 10.22067/jhs.2024.88409.1351
S. Tandisseh Bana; A.R. Astaraei; A. Lakzian. "The Effect of Organic Fertilizers Application and Humic Acid Foliar Spraying on Growth Characteristics of Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) in a Saline Soil". , 39, 1, 2025, 72-57. doi: 10.22067/jhs.2024.88409.1351
Tandisseh Bana, S., Astaraei, A., Lakzian, A. (2025). 'The Effect of Organic Fertilizers Application and Humic Acid Foliar Spraying on Growth Characteristics of Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) in a Saline Soil', , 39(1), pp. 72-57. doi: 10.22067/jhs.2024.88409.1351
Tandisseh Bana, S., Astaraei, A., Lakzian, A. The Effect of Organic Fertilizers Application and Humic Acid Foliar Spraying on Growth Characteristics of Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) in a Saline Soil. , 2025; 39(1): 72-57. doi: 10.22067/jhs.2024.88409.1351

The Effect of Organic Fertilizers Application and Humic Acid Foliar Spraying on Growth Characteristics of Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) in a Saline Soil

علوم باغبانی
Article 4, Volume 39, Issue 1 - Serial Number 65, March 2025, Pages 72-57    PDF (975 K)
Document Type: Research Article
DOI: 10.22067/jhs.2024.88409.1351
Authors
S. Tandisseh Bana* ; A.R. Astaraei; A. Lakzian
Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
Abstract
Introduction
Saline soils due to lack of organic matter and poor physicochemical properties and subsequent lack of moisture, usually having poor vegetation. The use of organic fertilizers in saline soils, can improve the growth and tolerance of plants under salinity conditions by improving the physical and chemical properties of the soil. For this purpose, this research was carried out with two types of organic fertilizers to modify saline soil properties along with humic acid foliar application as a stimulant for the growth of the Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni.) plant. The experimental factors included the first factor: 1) control (without organic fertilizer), 2) vermi compost (20 ton.ha-1), 3) vermi compost (40 ton.ha-1), 4) Spent Mushroom Compost (SMC) (20 ton.ha-1), 5) Spent Mushroom Compost (40 ton.ha-1), and the second factor was foliar spraying of humic acid at two levels of 0 and 0.1% in a Completely Randomized Design (factorial) with three replications. Photosynthesis rate, leaf area, plant dry weight, pH, salinity, bulk density and soil organic carbon were investigated in order to determine the most effective organic matter treatment under soil salinity stress conditions. Results showed that SMC significantly decreased soil pH, bulk density, but increased electrical conductivity and soil organic carbon. Leaf area was reduced but total phenol, chlorophyll a, b, total and carotenoid were increased resulting in significant increase in the dry weight of Stevia plants in saline soil. The highest dry weight of the plant was obtained with application of 40 tons.ha-1 of SMC fertilizer and humic acid foliar, which was 45.12% more than the control (without fertilizer). Therefore, SMC fertilizer can be a suitable remediator for saline soil, humic acid spray also had a significant positive effect if used along with SMC soil application.
 
Materials and Methods
This experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design (factorial) in boxes (dimensions 30x40x30 cm) containing natural saline soil (EC=10.15 dS.m-1) under natural agronomic conditions at The Ferdowsi University of Mashhad with three replications from July to January, 2018. Experimental factors were included the first factor: 1) control (without organic fertilizer), 2) vermicompost 20 tons/ha, 3) vermicompost 40 ton.ha-1, 4) Spent mushroom compost 20 ton.ha-1, 5) Spent mushroom compost 40 tons per hectare and the second factor: foliar spraying of humic acid at two levels of zero and 0.1%. A soil sample was collected from Kushk region of Neyshabur city with desired salinity (ECe=10.15 dS.m-1) and some physical and chemical properties of soil and organic fertilizers were measured before the experiment. Organic fertilizers after mixing with the experimental soil, were added to the plastic boxes according to the amount of each treatment. Two seedlings were planted in each plastic box, maintaining a spacing of 20 cm. Irrigation was carried out daily using tap water. One month after the stevia plants had adapted to the climatic conditions of Mashhad, foliar application of humic acid was performed in three stages at 20-day intervals. After plant physiological maturity stage some parameters including plant dry weight, leaf area, total plant phenol, amount of chlorophyll a, b, carotenoid, total plant chlorophyll, and soil organic carbon, bulk density, salinity, and soil pH, were determined after plant harvest. The dry weight of the stevia plant was obtained by weighing the plants after drying in an oven for 48 hours at 70°C. Statistical analysis of data was performed by JMP software version 0.8, drawing graphs using Excel software and comparing average data using LSD test at significance levels 1 and 5 percent.
 
Results and Discussion
Results showed that the SMC fertilizeralone and in combination with HA foliar application significantly increased the dry weight of the stevia plant compared to the control through improving saline soil physical and chemical properties  like pH, OC, soil bulk density. These improvements resulted in some improvement in photosynthetic pigments and total phenol. The highest dry weight of stevia plant was obtained with application of 40 ton/ha of SMC fertilizer and humic acid 0.1% leaf spraying.
 
Conclusions
According to the results of this research, application of SMC fertilizer with and without foliar application of humic acid was able to significantly increase the dry weight of the stevia plant compared to the control (without fertilizer) through modifying the physical and chemical properties of saline soil (pH, OC, bulk density) and some phytochemical properties of the plant (Photosynthetic pigments and total phenol). Application of VC fertilizer was not successful. Even though humic acid foliar application increased the total plant phenol, it could not improve the growth of the plant in saline soil alone, but it could increase the dry weight of the plant only with application of SMC fertilizer. Thus, the highest dry weight of stevia plant was obtained with application of 40 ton/ha of SMC fertilizer and humic acid spraying.Therefore, it is suggested that in order to achieve proper performance (≥80%) and improvement in the physiological and morphological characteristics of the stevia plant in very saline soil (ECe≥10 dS.m-1), it is necessary to use 40 ton.ha-1 or more of mushroom compost waste. It should be used in saline soil three to six months before cultivation and 0.1% humic acid foliar spraying should be done three times with an interval of 20 days.
Keywords
Physiological characteristics; Plant biostimulants; SMC (spent mushroom Compost); Soil salinity; Stevia sweet leaf; Vermicompost
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