Effects of Potassium and Humic Acid on Amelioration of Soil Salinity Hazardous on Pea Plants

Abstract

Pots experiment were carried out in green house of National Research Centre, Dokki, Egypt, to study the effect of potassium and humic acid application to minimize the adversely effects of soil salinity on pea plants. Pots were divided into three main groups of soil salinity at levels (2.84, 6.03 and 8.97 dS m-1). These main groups were applied potassium sulfate at the rates 50 and 100 kg fed-1. Foliar application of humic acid was applied at a rate of 0.2%. Data presented that the application of K2SO4 at a rate of 100 kg fed-1 with humic acid a foliar spray at a rate of 0.2%, gave the highest values of plant growth parameters such as, Branch No., Leave No., Plant height, leaf area, Shoot fresh and dry weight. In addition to produce high chlorophyll a and b and carotene content as compared to other treatments and control under the different soil salinity levels. Application of K2SO4 (100 kg fed-1) with foliar spray of humic acid under high and moderate soil salinity condition increased pod weight, seed weight, seed dry weight over application of 50 kg   fed-1 and control. The highest values of studied chemical constituents in shoots and greens were obtained due to the application of potassium sulfate at100 kg fed-1 with humic acid. The combined effects of potassium application and foliar spray of humic acid had a positive effect on increasing the ability of pea plant tolerance to soil salinity and increasing of growth and yield production under saline soil conditions.