Response of wheat plants to potassium humate application.

Abstract

2 Abstract: Seeds of wheat (Tritticum aestivumL C v sakha 68) were soaked in two concentrations 50 and 100 ppm potassium humate for different periods 12, 24 and 36 hours. Potassium humate was prepared from rice straw compost. At the end of the soaking periods, the seeds were examined. The best soaking treatment (100 ppm potassium humate for 24 hours.) was planted in the field with potassium humate alone or after enrichment with N, P and K, as a foliar spray for 4 times in 15 day intervals. Seedling growth was measured by length shoot and root, dry weight of shoot and root and shoot/ root ratio. In the field experiments, weight of grains, straw, 1000 grains as well as concentration of N, P and K in grains and straw of each plot was determined after maturity. The results showed that the highest germination seeds percentage was detected after six days when seeds were soaked in distilled water with different periods of soaking. W hile, more than 90% from seeds germinated after five days with application of 100 ppm potassium humate, particularly when seeds soaked for 24 hours. Germination rate, shoot length, root length, shoot dry weight, root dry weight with application of potassium humate at 50 ppm for 24 hours averaged 4.40, 14.2, 23.9 and 22.7 % , respectively as compared that of the same periods of soaking with distilled water. There were significant increases in the uptake of N, P and K as well as carbohydrate and protein contents in grains of treated plants particularly, receiving foliar application at a rate of 40 L.fed . Best effect was achieved with foliar spray application of potassium humate enriched with N, -1 P and K as compared to potassium humate alone. Soaking seeds alone or combined with foliar spray of potassium humate significantly increased both grain and straw yield of wheat plants, as compared to control. The highest increase resulted from soaking seeds and as foliar spray enriched potassium humate at a rate of 40 L.fed , which showed 36.9 and 85.8% over increase the control for grain and straw yields, -1 respectively.