INVESTIGATIONS ON FOLIAR SPRAY OF BORON AND MANGANESE ON OIL CONTENT AND CONCENTRATIONS OF FATTY ACIDS IN SEEDS OF SUNFLOWER PLANT RAISED THROUGH SALINE WATER IRRIGATION

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of foliar fertilization of some micronutrients [i.e., manganese (Mn) and boron (B)] on reproductive yield and fatty acid concentrations of a standard sunflower hybrid (‘NuSun 636') irrigated with different concentrations of saline water made by dissolving sea salt. Reproductive yield showed a significant decrease with the increase in salt in the rooting medium. However, foliar sprays of boric acid (H3BO3) and manganese chloride (MnCl2) showed a significant increase in seed number, seed weight, and oil content of seeds in the nonsaline control, which persisted even under saline water irrigation. An increase under the MnCl2 spray was more than with H3BO3 irrespective of non saline or saline water irrigation. Increasing levels of salinity appeared to be responsible for a decrease in oleic monounsaturated fatty acid concentration and an increase in the linoleic polyunsaturated, palmitic and stearic saturated fatty acid content whereas no significant change was found in linolenic polyunsaturated fatty acid content. Foliar applications of H3BO3 and MnCl2 brought some beneficial alteration in fatty acid concentrations of sunflower. Foliar application of H3BO3 caused a significant increase in palmitic and stearic saturated fatty acids and linoleic polyunsaturated fatty acids in control as well as under saline conditions. Oleic monounsaturated fatty acid concentration showed a decline under H3BO3 treatment irrespective to nonsaline or saline conditions. Foliar applications of MnCl2 increased the concentration of palmitic saturated fatty acid and oleic monounsaturated fatty acid irrespective to the plant growth under non saline or saline conditions. While stearic saturated fatty acid, linoleic and linolenic polyunsaturated fatty acid decreased with the application of manganese as compared to the non sprayed control.