EFFECT OF SEED-SOAKING IN POLY ETHYLENE GLYCOL AND HUMIC ACID ON THE PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY OF FODDER BEET UNDER SOIL SALINITY CONDITIONS.

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted at El-Serw Agricultural Experiment and Research Station, during two successive winter seasons 2011/2012 and 2012/ 2013, to study the effect of soaking seeds in solutions of poly ethylene glycol (PEG) and humic acid (HA) on growth, yield, and nutrients contents of fodder beet (Beta vulgaris L. (vorochenger) grown in newly reclaimed saline soils conditions. Results showed positive effects of soaked seeds compared to the un-soaked seeds. At soaking time 12 h, the increases due to HA treatments were greater than those attributed to PEG. Soil pH was almost unchanged, the EC values were decreased by 35.5% and 37.99% while soil available NPK were increased by 28.44% and 33.65% for N; by 11.28% and 96.24% for P while K was increased by 13.14% and 18.5% for both PEG and HA treatments respectively compared with the control. The fresh and dry weights of root were increased by 133.3% and 136.86%, respectively, for PEG treatments. For HA treatments, the increases in the above mentioned characteristics amounted 155.26% and 161.63%, respectively. Root length and diameter were enhanced significantly. the increases in roots N content amounted 21.74 and 29.5%, P by 37.88 and 50%, K by 7.82 and 12.35% and Protein by 21.71 and 26.63% for PEG and HA, respectively. The leaves chlorophyll content (Chl) was increased by 84.43% and 156.51% and emergence by 36.36% and 42.15% while the proline decreased by 16.07% and 25.71% for PEG and HA, respectively.