The effects of salinity stress and vermicompost application on some morpho-physiological characteristics, yield and amount concentration of elements of Borago (Borago officinalis L.)

Inorder to evaluate the effect of salinity and vermicompost application on some morpho- physiological charactristics, yield and concentration of the elements of borago. A pot experiment was conducted as factorial based on completely randomized design with four replications in the greenhouse of the Research Station of Faculty of Agriculture, Tabriz University in 2015. The study treatments consisted of four vermicompost levels (V1= 0, V2= 5, V3= 10 and V4= 15 wt % potted soil in dry weight) and four salinity levels (S1= 0 (control), S2= 4, S3= 8 and S4= 12 ds/m NaCl). The results also showed that different levels of salinity significantly increased all measured traits except for the phosphorus concentration. The impact of salinity and vermicompost interaction on magnesium, sodium and chloride traits was significant at 1 percent level and the impact of their interaction on dry flower yield and chlorophyll content was significant at 5 percent level. Comparison of treatments mean showed that with any increase in salinity levels, soluble carbohydrates, proline, phosphor, sodium and chlorine will increase, but plant height, yield of the air organs in the plant, dry flower yield, chlorophyll, potassium and nitrogen will decrease. In the meantime, the highest values of physiological traits and nutrients of borage were obtained from the treatment with 15 percent wt. vermicompost. Therefore, the use of vermicompost as an organic fertilizer, not only increases plant growth, but can be a good strategy to reduce the negative impacts of high soil sodium and chlorine concentrations on growth of borage.