Effect of Exogenous Application of Nano Fertilizers and Seaweeds Extract on the Growth, Yield, and Total Alkaloids Content of Hyoscyamus niger

Abstract

The study was conducted at the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences - University of Baghdad in 2022. It aimed to improve the growth of the European black Henbane plant (Hyoscyamus niger), leaf yield, and its content of the total alkaloids as effective medicinal secondary metabolite compounds by spraying with three levels of nano-nitrogen (N=46%) and three levels of nano-potassium (K = 50%)) is 1 gm L-1, 2 gm L-1, and 3 gm L-1, respectively, for each of these fertilizers, in addition to spraying with two levels of seaweed extract (Acadian) at a concentration of 2 and 3 ml L-1, respectively. The experiment carried out according to the randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The treatment of spraying with Acadian marine extract at a concentration of 2 ml L-1 (A2) was significantly superior to the rest of the treatments in increasing the plant height (55.80 cm), the number of branches (9.62) branches plant-1), and the plant yield (4493) kg ha-1 as well as in increasing the dry weight of the plant. The results indicated that are no significant differences in Plant yield by spraying nano-nitrogen fertilizer at a concentration of 3 ml L-1 while spraying potassium nano-fertilizer was significantly superior to treatments K3 and K2 at a concentration of 3 g L-1, followed by a concentration of 2 g L-1. in the total chlorophyll content of leaves (56.00) and (58.95) respectively, compared to the other treatments, the control treatment showed the lowest dry weight of the plant (88 g), which was outperformed by all other treatments when spraying with nano-fertilizers or marine extract with both concentrations A1 and A2, as well as spraying with nitrogen nano-fertilizer for the different treatments increased the dry weight of the plant. As for the characteristic of total alkaloids, all treatments, except for the two treatments of spraying with nano-fertilizers N1 and K1, were significantly superior to the comparison treatment, which gave the lowest content of total alkaloids, 2.85%.