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Effect of fertilizer and abiotic elicitors on yield and selected physiological and biochemical traits of guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.)
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Amir Mohammad Masouri   , Sajjad Rahimi-Moghaddam * , Khosro Azizi , Saeid Heidari , Eyni-Nargeseh |
| Lorestan University & Faculty of Agriculture |
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Abstract: (179 Views) |
To investigate the effects of various biofertilizers, organic and chemical fertilizers, as well as biotic elicitors on the yield and physiological and biochemical characteristics of guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.), a factorial field experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in 2024 in Khorramabad, Lorestan Province, Iran. The first factor included five fertilizer treatments (control without fertilizer, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, vermicompost, urea, and ammonium nitrate), and the second factor consisted of four elicitor treatments (control without elicitor, salicylic acid, humic acid, and ascorbic acid). The elicitor treatments were applied as foliar sprays at two growth stages: stem elongation and the onset of flowering. The results revealed that the interaction between fertilizer type and elicitor had a significant effect on the physiological and biochemical traits (net photosynthetic rate, sub-stomatal CO₂ concentration, transpiration, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll, chlorophyll b, and carotenoid). The highest net photosynthetic rate (18.92 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹) was observed in the nitrogen-fixing bacteria combined with humic acid treatment. The greatest stomatal conductance (428 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹) occurred in the control fertilizer treatment with salicylic acid. Regarding photosynthetic pigments, the highest levels of chlorophyll a (13.6 mg g⁻¹FW) and chlorophyll b (6.55 mg g⁻¹FW) were recorded under the vermicompost + ascorbic acid treatment. Moreover, the urea + salicylic acid treatment showed the highest transpiration rate, while the control fertilizer + ascorbic acid treatment led to the highest sub-stomatal CO₂ concentration. In terms of yield, the highest seed yield (2180 kg ha⁻¹) was obtained from the nitrogen-fixing bacteria combined with humic acid, whereas the lowest yield (920 kg ha⁻¹) was recorded in the control treatment without fertilizer or elicitor. The vermicompost + ascorbic acid treatment also resulted in a considerable seed yield of 2050 kg ha⁻¹. Overall, the results suggest that the combined application of bio or organic fertilizers with appropriate elicitors can effectively enhance the physiological, biochemical, and agronomic performance of guar, thereby improving its productivity potential under similar climatic conditions.
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| Keywords: Foliar application, Humic acid, Nitrogen-fixing bacteria, Vermicompost |
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Full-Text [PDF 819 kb]
(90 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Ecophysiology
Received: 2025/05/7 | Accepted: 2025/08/31 | Published: 2025/08/1
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