Improvement of some growth traits of gerbera flower (Gerbera jamesonii) by using ‎mineral nutrition at different stages of plant growth under effect of salinity stress

The research was carried out to reduce the effect of salinity on morphophysiologic traits of gerbera flowers using chemical nutrition in 2017. The experiment was a factorial based on a RCBD with three factors consisted of nutrition of mineral elements, fertilization time and saline water. The results showed that, with increasing salinity, a significant decrease was observed in growth characteristics, especially plant height, flower and peduncle diameter, leaf number and leaf area, root length, fresh and dry weight of the aforementioned organs, and concentration of nitrogen and calcium elements. With increasing salinity levels from 2 to 3 ds/m, the amount of silicon element increased from 0.93 to 0.98 mg/kg dry weight. The amount of silicon in fertilizer treatments 1 g NPK in pot + spray 1 g in 100 ml calcium silicate, 2 g NPK in pot + spray 0.5 g in 100 ml calcium silicate and 2 g NPK in pot + spray 1 g in 100 ml calcium silicate was highest at 30 and 45 days after planting, and showed a lower amount by delaying fertilization to 60 days after planting. Finally, the results showed that nutrition with NPK, calcium and silicon fertilizers has been able to maintain plant growth under salinity conditions, even in some treatments, increase the growth compared to the control.