USING SALICYLIC ACID AND HUMIC ACID AS FOLIAR APPLICATION IN AMENDING THE HARMFUL INFLUENCE OF SOIL SALINITY STRESS IN COMMON SAGE (SALVIA OFFICINALIS L.)

Abstract

In order to amend the harmful effect of soil salinity stress in common sage plants by foliar spray with salicylic acid (SA) and humic acid (HA), two pot experiments were conducted at the Nursery of ornamental plants, Agric. Fac., Zagazig Univ., Sharkia Governorate, Egypt in lath house during the two winter consecutive seasons of 2018/2019 and 2019/2020. The aiming of this work was to investigate the effect of foliar application treatments i.e., sprayed with distilled water (control), 200 ppm salicylic acid (SA), 750 ppm humic acid (HA), 1500 ppm HA, 200 ppm SA+750 ppm HA and 200 ppm SA+1500 ppm HA under various soil salinity levels (0.0, 1000 and 2000 ppm) as well as their combinations on yield components, salt resistance index and volatile oil production as well as some chemical constituents of Salvia officinalis plants. These experiments were arranged in a split-plot design with three replicates. The main plots were occupied by different soil salinity levels and the sub plots were entitled to different salicylic acid and humic acid acids concentrations. The obtained results referred to that herb fresh and dry weights per plant as yield components, volatile oil percentage and volatile oil yield per plant as volatile oil production as well as salt resistance index (%) were recorded. Also, total carbohydrates percentage and total chlorophyll (SPAD unit) in sage leaves was determined. Results showed that using soil salinity levels (1000 and 2000 ppm) significantly decreased yield components, volatile oil yield per plant, total carbohydrates percentage and total chlorophyll content compared to control. In contrast, increasing soil salinity levels gradually increased volatile oil percentage and proline content. In addition, the maximum values of the most of all above mentioned traits were achieved by treating sage plants with 200 ppm SA+1500 ppm HA. Generally, it could conclude that 200 ppm SA+750 or 1500 ppm HA, showed a uniform influence in qualifying of common sage y