ABSTRACT
Soil salinity is one of the major problems of agriculture that limits plant performance, particularly in arid and semiarid regions. Therefore, the effect of potassium humate (KH) and α-tocopherol (TOC), used singly or in integration, on soil characteristics, and on plant performance, physio-biochemical attributes and antioxidative defense system of Phaseolus vulgaris L. plants grown under salt stress (EC = 6.35–6.42 dS m−1) was investigated. Half g KH kg−1 soil was used as soil amendment before sowing and 1.0 mM TOC was used as foliar spray twice; at 25 and 40 days after sowing. Results showed that, KH significantly improved soil physical and chemical properties, which positively reflected on plant growth and productivity, physio-biochemical attributes, mineral nutrients (N, P, K and Ca), osmoprotectants (soluble sugars and proline), non-enzymatic (ascorbic acid, glutathione and TOC) and enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, catalase and guaiacol peroxidase (GPOX)) antioxidants compared to untreated controls. The single TOC foliar application recorded the same positive results of KH. Integrated KH + TOC treatment was most effective compared to the single treatments. The above results recommended benefits of this integrated KH + TOC for the possibility of sustainable agronomic performance of common beans grown on saline soils.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.