Compost Improving Morphophysiological and Biochemical Traits, Seed Yield, and Oil Quality of Nigella sativa under Drought Stress

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effects of compost amendment on the soil properties, as well as the morphophysiological responses, seed yield, oil content, and fatty-acid profile. of Nigella sativa plants under drought stress conditions. In a split-plot design, the field experiment was carried out during two seasons (2020/2021 and 2021/2022), involving three irrigation regimes (named I100, I75, and I50 of crop evapotranspiration) with three levels of compost application (C0, C15, and C30). Soil porosity, permeability, pore geometry, water-holding capacity, organic content, and soil cation exchangeable capacity were improved in response to applied compost levels. The growth, physiology, biochemistry, and yield characteristics of Nigella sativa plants were positively affected by compost addition but negatively affected by increasing water stress severity. Deficit irrigation regimes increased osmoprotectant substances (i.e., proline, total free amino acids, carbohydrates, and total soluble sugar). Compared to the control (I100), deficit irrigation (I50) reduced fixed and essential oil by 16.64% and 39.57% over two seasons. Water stress increased the content of saturated fatty acids, while unsaturated fatty acids decreased. Compost application of (C30) resulted in a significant increase in seed yield, fixed oil, and essential oil of Nigella sativa plants by 34.72%, 46.55%, and 58.11% respectively, compared to the control (C0). Therefore, this study concluded that compost amendment improved soil properties and significantly mitigated the detrimental effects of drought on Nigella sativa plants, resulting in a considerable increase in seed yield and its oil content, particularly polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are distinguished by their beneficial effects on human health.

Impact of cultivation methods and fertilization by EM (Effective microorganisms) and /or compost on Productivity and water use efficiency of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

“…Compost is increasingly used in conjunction with chemical fertilizers as part of a combined nutrient management strategy that increase agricultural productivity and nutrient use efficiency (Cozzolino et al, 2023). The acquired results matched with (Shehzad et al, 2023) on wheat and (Abdou et al, 2023) who proved that, addition compost might save amount of irrigation water and improve the production of black caraway plants without a significant reduction compared with wholly irrigated one. Moreover enhances soil properties plus improves root growth consequently lead to increasing the absorbtion of nutrients and water.…”

“…This enhancement as a result of altered pore geometry, especially in water-holding pores. (Abdou et al, 2023), consequently support in the water stress tolerance . The application of organic fertilizers like compost reduced soil pH (Yassin et al, 2023); In the meantime, the soil's cation exchange capacity.…”

“…Subsequently, available nutrient contents of grains were significantly increased. (Abdou et al, 2023). Also, applying compost caused increases in available soil nutrient (NPK) (Omara and Farrag, 2022).…”

Natural farming negatively influences the growth of Sangyod Muang Phatthalung rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) but not its grain production or quality in preliminary comparison to conventional farming

“…On the other hand, the biofertilizer has positive impacts on soil and water quality and biodiversity, contributing to the growth and productivity of terrestrial crops (Abdou et al, 2023;Omara et al, 2022). us, we conserved natural biodiversity in the distance between the plots in a natural way for domesticated weeds and pest-controlling species and in the plot with soil animals and soil microorganisms living in the leaf compost to complete the relationship in the agroecosystem (Bambaradeniya & Amarasinghe, 2003).…”