Improving Sunflower (Helianthus annusl) Growth and Productivity Using Cobalt Application

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Soils and water

Abstract

    A pot experiment was conducted for two successive seasons to evaluate the effect of cobalt on sunflower growth, yield and essential oil percent. Experiment was conducted at a cage house , National Research Centre , Dokki ,Giza .Egypt. Plastic pots 50 cm diameter  of  ten kg soil capacity were used. Sunflower seeds were sown at  7th and 9th March   of during 2018 and 2019. Seedlings (at the third true leaf) were irrigated with cobalt, sulphate once, with different cobalt doses (7.5 , 10.0 , 12.5 , 15.0 , 17.5 , and 20.0 mgL-1). All cobalt levels has a significant enhancing effect on plant growth, yield and essential oil contents. Cobalt at rate of 12.5 mgL-1 resulted the greatest effect. As cobalt level in plant media increased more than 12.5 mgL-1, the promotive effect was reduced. All levels of cobalt increased contents of (N, P and K) as well as (Mn, Zn and Cu) in seeds. As cobalt increased in plant media, cobalt content in sunflower seeds increased ,wherease Fe content was decreased.

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