Identifying the Role of Biostimulants in Turnip ( Brassica rapa L.) Production Compared with Chemical Fertilization

Qurat-Ul-Ain Raza, Muhammad Amjad Bashir (), Abdur Rehim (), Yucong Geng (), Hafiz Muhammad Ali Raza, Sajjad Hussain, Ijaz Ahmad and Muhammad Wasif
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Qurat-Ul-Ain Raza: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
Muhammad Amjad Bashir: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
Abdur Rehim: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
Yucong Geng: School of History, Geography and Tourism, Chengdu Normal University, Chengdu 610000, China
Hafiz Muhammad Ali Raza: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
Sajjad Hussain: Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
Ijaz Ahmad: Department of Agronomy, Engro Fertilizers Limited, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Muhammad Wasif: Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, University of Layyah, Layyah 31200, Pakistan

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 15, 1-15

Abstract: Chemical fertilizers play an integral role in advancing food production to combat the increasing food challenges and ensure food security. Unfortunately, the overuse of these fertilizers has negatively influenced the soil and the environment. Considering this aspect, two pot experiments were performed to evaluate the efficacy of biostimulants in vegetable production systems. The first experiment compared the effects of chemical fertilizers (CF) with glycine (GL), aspartic acid (AA), lysine (LY), and vitamin B complex (VB). The plant’s physiological and morphological attributes and yield were studied. The results confirmed that VB has the potential to improve the rate of transpiration (26%), total chlorophyll content (27%), root diameter (213%), and dry matter (289%) compared with CF. In the second experiment, the effects of chemical fertilizers (CF) were compared with Isabion ® (I), 25% CF + GL + LY (B1), 25% CF + GL + AA (B2), and 25% CF + AA + LY (B3). Similar attributes were analyzed to identify the influence of the applied treatments on turnip production. The results demonstrated that B2 enhanced the rate of photosynthesis (963%), transpiration (254%), and stomatal conductance (76%). Moreover, B1 improved the plant’s fresh weight (6%) and moisture contents (4%) compared to CF. In conclusion, biostimulants (LY, VB, and B1) are capable of improving turnip performance and production compared to CF. Future studies must focus on the efficiency of biostimulants against the long-term application effects on soils, nutrient-use efficiency, and crop production. Furthermore, the mechanism of action needs to be addressed in the future.

Keywords: amino acids; leaf extract; vitamins; lysine; foliar application (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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