Enhancement of growth and steroidal saponins content in fenugreek by foliar application of some growth promoting substances

Abstract EN

Potential therapeutic uses of fenugreek, Trigonella foenum-graecum, are famous in traditional medicine.

More recently, it has been revealed that total saponin content in the defatted seed extract is related to the hypocholesterolemic activity of the seeds.

Enhancement of growth of fenugreek plant and saponins content in the seeds was the main target of the current investigation.

This was attained by the application of all possible combinations of humic acid (1000 ppm), micronutrients foliar fertilizer (1000 ppm) and salicylic acid (300 ppm).

Data were recorded on leaf content of chlorophylls (a and b) and carotenoids, pods number and weight per plant, seed weight per plant, seed yield per feddan, weight of thousand seed, seed fixed oil percentage, fixed oil yield per feddan and total steroidal saponins in defatted seed extract.

Different treatments exerted significant effect for improvement of the measured characteristics.

Humic acid alone or combined with either or both of salicylic acid and the foliar fertilizer exhibited the best yield characteristics including seed and oil yields per feddan and total content of steroidal saponins