Effect of humic acid addition and spraying with ginger rhizome extract on the growth and some chemical contents of apricot seedlings Prunus armeniaca L . cv.

Abstract

This study was conducted at the slat house of the Department of Horticulture and Landscaping - College of Agriculture / Anbar University, during the growing season of 2021. The effect of soil application of humic acid (H) at 0, 4, 8 ml L-1 and ginger rhizome extract (Z) spraying at 0, 5, 10 g L-1 on some growth characteristics and some chemical contents of apricot seedlings, cultivar Hamawi was studied. Eighty-one two-year-old seedlings were selected that grafted on the stock of the apricot seed. A two-factor experiment (3 x 3) was carried out according to a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The investigation included nine treatments, three replications, and three seedlings for the experimental unit. The results indicated the significant effect of adding humic acid to seedlings in all the studied traits, especially the high-level H2 (8 ml L-1), which achieved the best values for the traits (Branch number, Branch diameter, Branch dry matter, Leaf area, Nitrogen, Phosphor, Potassium). Treatment Z2 (10 g L-1) of spraying with ginger rhizome extract was characterized by giving it the best significant effect of the characters (Branch number, Branch dry matter, Leaf area, Nitrogen, Phosphor, Potassium). The interaction of the study factors was significant for all the studied traits except for the diameter of the branch. The highest values were for the treatments H2Z2 (8 ml L-1 and 10 g L-1) and H2Z1 (8 ml L-1 and 5 g L-1), where the lowest values were in the control treatment (H0Z0) for all the studied traits. Keywords. Apricot, Humic acid, Ginger, Vegetative growth, Chemical content.