Investigating the Effects of Soluble Iron Nutrients on the Growth and Morphological Characteristics of Calendulla Officinalis Under Salt Stress
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55544/sjmars.5.2.13Keywords:
Calendula officinalis, Salinity stress, Iron foliar application, Morphological characteristicsAbstract
This study was conducted to investigate the effects of foliar application of iron on the growth and morphological characteristics of Calendula officinalis under salinity stress conditions. Soil salinity is one of the most important abiotic stresses that limits plant growth and productivity, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. To evaluate the response of Calendula officinalis to salinity stress and iron application, a factorial experiment was carried out based on a completely randomized design with three replications under greenhouse conditions. Treatments consisted of four salinity levels (0, 30, 50, and 80 mM NaCl) and three iron foliar application levels (0, 200, and 400 mg L⁻¹). Growth and morphological traits such as plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, number of flowers, flower diameter, number of lateral branches, and relative water content were measured. The results indicated that increasing salinity levels significantly reduced all measured traits. However, foliar application of iron, particularly at moderate concentrations, significantly improved plant growth and reduced the adverse effects of salinity stress. The findings of this study highlight the important role of iron foliar application in improving the growth performance of Calendula officinalis under saline conditions.
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