Effect of soil modifiers on hollyhock plants (Alcea rosea L.) under drought stress

Survival of ornamental plants is vital green spaces threatened by climate change and drought stress. An experiment was designed to investigate the effect of soil modifiers on the growth of two plants of the Hollyhock ecotype under drought conditions at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in ۲۰۲۱. Experimental Treatments included two ecotypes (Mashhad, Tehran), three drought stress levels (۸۰, ۶۰, ۴۰% FC), and four substrates (soil, soil + manure, soil + rice hull, soil + wheat straw). Macroelements (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) of leaves, physiological characteristics of plants, such as (total chlorophyll, proteins, and activity of enzymes), and morphological traits (height, the diameter of the stem, number of leaves, bud, flowers, and leaves the area) have been measured. The effect of time on the number of Hollyhock leaves under drought stress was also recorded. Treatments affected all physiological and growth parameters of Hollyhock plants, and a significant amount of physiological traits (chlorophyll) and growth parameters were recorded in the Mashhad ecotype below ۸۰% FC in soil + manure. The triple interactions of ecotype, drought stress, and culture medium on protein content, superoxide dismutase activity, and ascorbate peroxidase activity were not significant, but enzyme activity was increased with increasing drought stress. Also, the number of leaves and flowers had a decreasing trend with increasing drought stress. The results showed that applying manure with soil by providing macro elements reduced the adverse effects of drought stress in Hollyhock and increased drought stress resistance in both ecotypes.  

کلیدواژه ها:

Hollyhock ، Growth medium ، Ecotype ، Nutrients ، ختمی ، بستر کشت ، اکوتیپ ، عناصر غذایی