Interaction of Saline Water and Vermicompost on Growth and Absorption of Some Mineral Nutrieants in Four Landraces of Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare

In order to investigate the effects of interaction between sodium chloride-induced salinity and organic fertilizer, vermicompost, on the vegetative growth and some mineral nutrieants in fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), a factorial experiment as a randomized complete block design with three replicates was conducted in the research greenhouse of Yazd University. Experimental treatments consisted of salinity levels of control (non-salty), 40, 80, and 120 mM NaCl, vermicompost levels of 0 and 5 volume/volume percent (two volumetric mixtures of vermicompost and soil including 0:100% and 5:95%), and fennel landraces of Urmia, Mashhad, Shiraz, Boushehr, and Isfahan. Sampling of plants was carried out 5 weeks after planting.  Results showed that salinity stress significantly decreased dry weight and the length of shoot, leaf area, dry weight of root, concentration of potassium, calcium, zinc, and molybdenum of shoot, and concentration of potassium and calcium in root. Under both stress and non-stress conditions, all of these traits were significanly increased with application of vermicompost. Concentration of sodium in root and shoot was also significantly increased under salinity stress, while it sharply decreased in the presence of vermicompost. Based on the results, among the investigated fennel landraces, Mashhad landrace was the most sensitive to salinity stress. Shiraz landrace is recommended for cultivation in non-stress, and salt-affected conditions, and also under vermicompost application. It seems that the use of vermicompost can reduce the adverse effects of salinity on fennel growth.