Effect of saline water irrigation and foliar spraying of salicylic acid on growth, flowering and chemical composition of pot marigold (calendula officinalis l.)‎ plant

Abstract EN

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of saline water irrigation at 2000, 4000, 6000, 8000 and 10000 ppm by using a mixture of two salts (sodium chloride: calcium chloride, 2:1, w/w) in addition to tap water as control and foliar sprayings of Salicylic acid (SA) at 100, 200 and 300 ppm in addition to tap water as control on growth, flowering and chemical composition of pot marigold plants in the two successive seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 in the Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Qalyubia Governorate, Egypt.

Results revealed that all tested foliar applications of SA increased all vegetative growth characteristics (plant height, number of leaves /plant, leaf area, number of branches/plant, diameter of stem, fresh and dry weights of vegetative growth and roots, and roots volume), and flowering attributes (number of inflorescences/plant, diameter of inflorescence, fresh and dry weights of inflorescences).

While, saline water irrigation decreased growth, flowering parameters, chlorophyll, carotene contents in flowers and some minerals contents of the vegetative growth, i.e.

nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium percentages.

However, saline water irrigation increased proline and some mineral contents, i.e.

calcium, sodium and chloride percentages of the vegetative growth.

In most cases, under the same saline water irrigation conditions spraying SA at 100 and 200 ppm concentrations alleviated the salinity effect on the plants, enhanced the plant growth and increased the flowering parameters.

The most effective treatments which enhance growth, flowering parameters, chlorophyll content, carotene contents in flowers, proline and mineral contents were found to be 100 and 200 ppm SA spraying under nonsaline conditions.