Semi-arid environments are characterized by low soil organic matter, lack of sufficient precipitation and occurrence of high temperatures at the terminal of growing season. Effects of foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) and ascorbic acid (AS) during vegetative and reproductive stages at three farmyard manure (FYM) rates (zero (FYM1), 15 (FYM2), 30 (FYM3)t·ha-1) were studied on the growth and yield components of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) under supplemental irrigation of semi-arid highland in the north-west of Iran. The results revealed that application of farmyard manure especially at high level could significantly increase the morp-ho-physiological traits such as plant height, first pod height, plant canopy spread, rooting depth, the number of root nodules, ground cover, chlorophyll content and relative water content. Although improving effects of SA and AS on growth parameter were less than FYM, plants treated with SA showed better performance than plants treated with AS. A similar status was observed for grain yield and yield component. So the highest grain yield was recorded at FYM by foliar application of SA. It can be concluded that FYM3 as the most promising manure application rate was adopted to improve both root and total above-ground plant growth. Also this work highlights the importance of exogenous application of growth regulators in lentil cropping systems in semi-arid region with the Mediterranean climate.

In recent decades, the over-use of chemical fertilizers has imposed many environmental challenges worldwide. Nowadays, organic fertilizers such as vermicompost and livestock manure have gained a huge interest in sustainable agricultural systems. A 2-year field research was conducted as factorial based on a randomized complete block design to assay the fertilizer and humic acid (HA) efficiency on the growth responses and essential oil composition of Coriandrum sativum. The treatments were different fertilizer sources (livestock manure, vermicompost, and chemical fertilizers) and humic acid fertigation before and at the beginning of the flowering stage. The highest protein content was observed under vermicompost × HA application before flowering (0.118 μmol L−1 and 0.128 μmol L−1, respectively). Moreover, the co-application of organic fertilizers × HA at the beginning of flowering resulted in a significant increase in the photosynthetic pigments and N, P, K, Fe, Zn, and Mn content. According to the GC-FID and GC–MS analysis, linalool (55.91–63.19%), γ-terpinene (4.65–6.13%), α-pinene (2.64–5.74%), geranyl acetate (3.49–5.51%), 2-dodecanal (2.92–4.46%), menthol (1.33–3.90%), p-cymene (1.73–2.24%), and geraniol (1.25–2.15%) were the main essential oil constituents. The top linalool content was obtained by using chemical fertilizers and vermicompost × HA at the flowering onset stage. In general, the results revealed that chemical fertilizers could be replaced with vermicompost × HA and their co-application positively influenced the growth responses and the essential oil composition of coriander. Furthermore, the results obtained would be advisable to the extension section and the pioneer farmers to amend the large-scale production systems in favor of environmental health.

In order to study the effects of soil and foliar applications of iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) on flowering, flower yield and essential oil production of German chamomile a pot experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Iran in 2012. The experiment was arranged as completely randomized design with 12 treatments and three replications. ), T 9 : T 5 +T 7 , T 10 : T 5 +T 8 , T 11 : T 6 +T 7 , T 12 : T 6 +T 8 . The foliar spraying was done two times during the growing period. The results revealed that the flower number, flower yield, essential oil content and essential oil yield were significantly increased by soil and foliar applications of Fe + Zn, compared with the control (untreated). The highest flower number (477 plant -1 ), flower yield (11.6 g pot -1 ), essential oil content (0.88 %) and essential oil yield (119 mg pot -1 ) were recorded for the soil application of Fe + Zn (T 4 ) by 58, 68, 21.4 and 105 % increment compared to the control, respectively. Foliar application of Fe + Zn (T 12 ) was placed at the next rank; however this treatment had no significant difference with the soil application of Fe + Zn (T 4 ). Other treatments did not show significant differences with the control. Generally, the results showed that soil or foliar application of Fe + Zn can be effective on increase or improve of quantity and quality of chamomile yield. Moreover, use of foliar application as a low cost method especially in areas with alkaline or calcareous soils can be recommended. ), T 9 : T 5 +T 7 , T 10 : T 5 +T 8 , T 11 : T 6 +T 7 , T 12 : T 6 +T 8 . Škropljenje listov je bilo opravljeno dvakrat v rastni dobi. Rezultati so pokazali, da je talno in foliarno gnojenje z Fe + Zn značilno povečalo število cvetov, pridelek cvetov, vsebnost in pridelek eteričnih olj v primerjavi s kontrolo. Največje število cvetov (477 na rastlino), največji pridelek cvetov (11.6 g na lonec), največja vsebnost eteričnih olj (0.88 %) in največji pridelek eteričnih olj (119 mg na lonec) so bili izmerjeni pri talnem dodajanju Fe + Zn (T 4 ), povečanje je bilo za 58, 68, 21.4 in 105 % glede na kontrolno obravnavanje. Učinek foliarnega dodajanja Fe + Zn (T 12 ) je bil takoj za talnim dodajanjem Fe + Zn (T 4 ), vendar se od njega ni značilno razlikoval. Druga obravnavanja niso dala značilnih odstopanj od kontrole. V splošnem so rezultati pokazali, da lahko tako talno kot foliarno dodajanje Fe + Zn učinkovito poveča ali izboljša količino in kvaliteto pridelka prave kamilice. Uporabo foliarnega dodajanja bi kot poceni način gnojenja še posebej priporočali na območjih , kjer so tla bazična ali apnenčasta.

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Salinity is an abiotic stress which has harmful effects on germination of many plants. Therefore, high germination rate and vigorous early growth under salty soils is preferred. Seed priming is a way to increase salt tolerance of plants. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of seed priming on germination of milk thistle under salinity condition. The treatments were 4 levels of seed priming (no priming, distilled water as hydro priming and 0.5 and 1.0 mM salicylic acid) and 5 levels of salinity (0, 40 and 80 mM NaCl and 40 and 80 mM CaCl2). The experiment arranged as a factorial in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Results showed that salinity decreased germination percentage and germination rate to about 16 and 32% in 80 mM CaCl2 level compared to control, respectively. The highest mean germination time (5.7 day) were belonged to 80 mM CaCl2. Radicle and plumule length significantly decreased by 80 mM NaCl and 40 and 80 mM CaCl2. The lowest seedling weight and seed stamina observed in 80 mM CaCl2. 0.5 mM salicylic acid improved all traits except mean germination time as compared to control. Salicylic acid (0.5 mM) improved radicle length under 0, 40 and 80 mM NaCl salinity levels as well as increased plumule length at the 0 and 40 mM NaCl salinity conditions.