EFFECT OF SOME PLANT AND ALGAE EXTRACTS ON GROWTH AND BIOLOGICAL YIELD OF SUNFLOWER

Abstract

     A field experiment was conducted at the fields of Dubana Company for Modern Agricultural Equipment in the Yusufiyah area, Al-Rashid district, Baghdad Governorate, located on a line between 44°E longitude and 33°N latitude during the spring season of 2022. The objective was to study the effect of using some plant extracts and seaweed on the growth of three genotypes of sunflower and their reflection on the biological yield. The experiment was conducted using randomized complete block design (RCBD) with split-plot arrangement with three replications, including five bio nutrition treatments (spraying the biological stimulant with seaweed extract BMstart, spraying seaweed extract Alga600, adding bamboo extract Seek, spraying Moringa leaf extract, and a control treatment spraying with distill water only) allocated to the main plots, and three genotypes (Lilo, Ishaqi-2, and Flamy) allocated to the sub plots. The results showed the superiority of the treatment of spraying seaweed extract Alga600 in stem diameter (2.87 cm), plant height (207.50 cm), leaf area (2414.3 cm²), and biological yield (22.28 tons ha^-1), while the treatment of spraying Moringa leaves extract showed superiority in the number of leaves (30.28 leaf plant^-1) and harvest index (22.49%). As for the genotypes, Ishaqi-2 showed superiority in stem diameter (2.72 cm), leaf area (2325.6 cm²), biological yield (24.11 tons ha^-1), and harvest index (21.92%), while Lilo was superior in number of leaves (29.31 leaf plant^-1), and Flamy was superior in plant height (201.98 cm).