The Effect of Use of Microalgae [Chlorella Vulgaris Beyerinck (Beijerinck)] In\rdifferent Fertilizer Applications on Plant Growth of Garden Rocket (Eruca\rvesicaria Ssp. Sativa Mill.)

Abstract

This study was carried out as a pot experiment in controlled greenhouse conditions in order to reveal\rthe effect of microalgae [Chlorella vulgaris Beyerinck (Beijerinck)] application on plant growth of\rrocket salad (Eruca vesicaria ssp. sativa Mill.) in different doses of fertilizer applications. Sieved\rsoil in 3-liter pots was used as the growing medium. Equal amount of irrigation was applied to all\rpots during the period from seed sowing to the end of the experiment. Microalgae application was\rapplied twice (100 ml and 150 per pot) to the seedling growing medium. As chemical fertilizer, 0%,\r50% and 100% of NPK (160 mg N kg-1, 80 mg P2O5 kg-1, and 100 mg K2O kg-1) were applied. As\rparameters in rocket plants, shoot length, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, stem diameter, leaf\rarea, leaf relative water content, membrane damage index, total soluble content, and some nutrients\r(K, Ca, Na, Zn, Cu, and Mn) contents were examined. According to the data obtained, microalgae\rapplications were found to have a positive effect on plant growth in general. It was observed that\rthe values increased in most parameters examined in algae-applied applications compared to the\rcontrol group. Among the applications, the best values were found in 50% fertilizer + microalgae\rand 100% fertilizer + microalgae applications.