M.A. Thesis:

Effect of foliar application of micronutrients and potassium humate on yield and yield components of safflower

In order to investigate the effect of foliar application of micronutrient and potassium humate on the yield and yield components of safflower, a field experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with three replications in Joghatay county. The experimental factors consisted of different levels of potassium humate foliar application in four levels of control (non-application), 0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 kg ha-1 and foliar application of different amounts of micronutrients in three levels of control (non-application), 0.15 and 0.3 kg ha-1. The results showed that foliar application of potassium humate had no significant effect on chlorophyll b content, but increased the content of chlorophyll a, carotenoids, plant height, distance of the first branch from the ground level, number of branches, number of heads per plant, number of seeds per head, 1000-seed weight, grain yield, biological yield and harvest index. The highest content of chlorophyll a, plant height, distance of the first branch from the ground level, number of heads per plant, 1000-seed weight, grain yield and biological yield were observed in the treatment of 0.4 kg ha-1 potassium humate foliar application. However, the highest content of carotenoids, number of lateral branches and number of seeds per head were obtained in the treatment of 0.2 kg ha-1 potassium humate foliar application. Foliar application of micronutrient increased the plant height, the distance of the first branch from the ground level, number of branches, number of heads per plant, number of seeds per head, grain yield and biological yield. The treatment of 0.6 kg ha-1 micronutrient foliar application had the highest plant height and number of lateral branches per plant. Maximum distance of the first branch from the ground level, number of heads per plant, number of seeds per head, grain yield and biological yield were observed in the treatment of 1.2 kg ha-1 micronutrient foliar application. The effect of foliar application of micronutrient on chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, number of seeds per head, 1000-seed weight and harvest index were not significant. Foliar application of 0.2 and 0.4 kg ha-1 potassium humate significantly increased the number of heads per plant and grain yield in the conditions of 1.2 kg ha-1 micronutrients foliar application. The highest number of seeds per head and grain yield were obtained in the treatment of 0.4 kg ha-1 potassium humate and 1.2 kg ha-1 micronutrients foliar application. According to the results, two foliar application of potassium humate and micronutrients at vegetative growth and the beginning of reproductive growth are recommended to improve yield and yield components of safflower.

Keywords: Safflower, humic acid, potassium, foliar application, photosynthetic pigments.