Effect of some irrigation levels and foliar-spray application with some chemical substances on growth and yield of salvia Hispanica in Egypt

Abstract EN

This study was carried out in two successive seasons (2014-2015 and 2015-2016) at SEKEM company Farm (Bilbase, Sharkya Governorate) on chia (Salvia hispanica) plant which is a new crop introduced lately to Egyptian cultivation as a medicinal plant.

The effect of three irrigation levels of different reference evapotranspiration (80, 100 and 120 % ETo) with foliar application of three levels of proline (100, 200 and 300 ppm), salicylic acid (200, 400 and 600 ppm) and putrescine (10, 15 and 20 ppm) in addition to the control treatment (tap water) was investigated on growth and yield of Salvia hispanica cultivated in sandy loam soil with drip irrigation system.

The results of the two years experiments indicated that the highest values of plant growth parameters and seeds yield of S.

hispanica were obtained from 100 % ETo.

While 120 % ETo resulted in the maximum value of roots fresh and dry weights.

Foliar-spray application of proline (100 ppm.), salicylic acid (200 ppm) and putrescine (10 ppm) resulted in optimum fresh and dry weights of herbage and roots.

Seed yield was higher in plants sprayed with proline (100 ppm) and putrescine (10 ppm), although the differences between them and salicylic acid (200 and 400 ppm) or putrescine (15 ppm) were insignificant in both seasons.

This leads us to recommend irrigation of S.

hispanica accordingly with 100 % ETo coupled with foliar-spray application of salicylic acid (200 ppm) from the economic point of view.