Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Forestry and Wood Technology Dept., Faculty of Agriculture (El-Shatby),Alexandria University, Egypt
2
Agricultural Research Center, Horticulture Research Institute, Forestry Department, Antoniades Gardens, Alexandria, Egypt
Abstract
The present work was carried out in the experimental greenhouse at Antoniadis Research Branch, Horticultural Research Institute, Minestry of Agriculture, Alexandria, Egypt, during two successive growing seasons, 2013, 2014 from first of March to end of November for each season to study initial growth response and chemical composition of Moringa oleifera seedlings to different levels of NPK, biofertilizer and two different types of soil. M. oleifera seeds were sawn cultivated in polyethylene bags (3 kg capacity) filled with two soil types; sandy loam and a mixture of peatmoss: sand (1:1 w/w). The resultant seedlings were treated with mineral fertilizer and biofertilizers inoculums. Plants were harvested after 9 months of cultivation. The height of seedlings (cm), total fresh and dry weight, (g) and mineral contents (N, P, Ca, Mg, K, and Fe) were recorded. Protein content, carbohydrates, total antioxidant activity and total phenols were also determined. Best results in all parameters were obtained with sandy loam soil at mix level of NPK and biofertilizers (1 g N + 1⁄2 g P +1⁄ 2 g K +1 ⁄ 2 g HALEX) ⁄kg soil. Seedlings height recorded 154.50 and 174.75 cm in the first and second seasons, respectively, however, total fresh weight was 77.68 and 90.03 g; total dry weight was 41.35 and 43.55 g, at the same order was found for the mineral content of the leaves, (5.42, 1.63, 1.93, 5.61, 1.42 % and 310 ppm for N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Fe, respectively) in the first season. Also, leaves of M. oleifera seedlings gave high content of protein, carbohydrates, total antioxidant activity % and total phenols (mg GAE/g extract) with sandy loam soil and mix of mineral and biofertilizers at the same rate. Since it was 23.28, 18.28, 56.24, % and 125.1 mg GAE/g extract, for protein, carbohydrates, total antioxidants activity and total phenols, respectively.
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