İkinci Ürün Ayçiçeği (Helianthus annuus L.) Bitkisinde Yapraktan Potasyum (K) ve Çinko (Zn) Uygulamalarının Bitki Gelişimi ve Toprak Enzim Aktiviteleri Üzerine Etkisi

Abstract

Bu çalışma, 2024 yılında Şanlıurfa ili ekolojik koşullarında, potasyum (K), çinko (Zn) ve bu iki elementin birlikte uygulanmasının (K+Zn), bitki gelişimi, verim ve toprak enzim aktiviteleri üzerindeki etkilerini araştırmak amacıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Denemede Suomi ayçiçeği (Helianthus annuus L.) çeşidi kullanılarak, tesadüf blokları deneme desenine göre üç tekerrürlü olarak kurulmuştur. Yapraktan uygulamalar, bitkinin 6–8 yapraklı döneminde ve çiçeklenme öncesinde olmak üzere iki kez yapılmış; kontrol (%0 yaprağa sadece su püskürtülmüş), K (%0.25 K₂SO₄), Zn (%0.25 ZnSO₄·7H₂O) ve K+Zn (%0.25 K₂SO₄ + %0.25 ZnSO₄·7H₂O) hazırlanarak 20 L da-1 olacak şekilde yapraklara püskürtülmüştür. Çalışmanın sonuçlarına göre K, Zn ve K+Zn uygulamalarının; bitki yaş ağırlığı (g), bitki kuru ağırlığı (g), tabla çapı (cm), tabla başına tohum sayısı, tohum verimi (adet), 1000 tane ağırlığı (g), tohum uzunluğu (mm), iç oranı (%) ve dekara tohum verimi (kg da⁻¹) ile birlikte toprak sağlığının temel biyokimyasal göstergelerinden biri olan katalaz (CAT) enzim aktivitesi üzerinde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı etkiler oluşturduğunu göstermiştir. K ve Zn elementlerinin uygulanması hem bitki hem de toprak parametrelerini olumlu yönde etkilerken, birlikte uygulandıklarında (K+Zn) ise en yüksek olumlu sonuçlar elde edilmiştir. K, Zn ve K+Zn yapraktan uygulamaları, ayçiçeği bitkisi üzerinde önemli etkiler görülürken toprak enzim aktivitesi ve genel toprak sağlığı açısından da dikkate değer bulunmuştur.

Keywords

• Ayçiçeği
• K ve Zn
• Bitki besleme
• Toprak enzimleri

The Effects of Foliar Potassium (K) and Zinc (Zn) Applications on Plant Growth and Soil Enzyme Activities in Second-crop Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

Abstract

This study was conducted in 2024 under the ecological conditions of Şanlıurfa Province to investigate the effects of potassium (K), zinc (Zn), and their combined foliar application (K+Zn) on plant growth, yield, and soil enzyme activities. The experiment was established using the Suomi sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) cultivar, following a randomized complete block design with three replications. Foliar treatments were applied twice: at the 6–8 leaf stage and before flowering. The treatments consisted of a control (distilled water only), K (0.25% K₂SO₄), Zn (0.25% ZnSO₄·7H₂O), and K+Zn (0.25% K₂SO₄ + 0.25% ZnSO₄·7H₂O), all sprayed at a rate of 20 L da⁻¹. According to the results, the K, Zn, and K+Zn applications had statistically significant effects on fresh and dry plant weight (g), flower head diameter (cm), number of seeds per head, seed yield (count), 1000-seeds weight (g), seed length (mm), kernel ratio (%), and seed yield per decare (kg da⁻¹), as well as on catalase (CAT) activity, a key biochemical indicator of soil health. The individual application of K and Zn positively affected both plant and soil parameters, while their combined application (K+Zn) yielded the most pronounced positive results. Foliar application of K, Zn, and particularly K+Zn significantly influenced sunflower growth and also had notable effects on soil enzyme activity and overall soil health.

Keywords

• Sunflower
• K and Zn
• Plant nutrition
• Soil enzymes

References

1. Abdelhameed, A., & Abd El-Hady, M. (2018). Response of tomato plant to foliar application of calcium and potassium nitrate integrated with different phosphorus rates under sandy soil conditions. Egyptian Journal of Soil Science, 58(1), 45-55.
2. Ahmad, H. M., Wang, X., Fiaz, S., Azeem, F., & Shaheen, T. (2022). Morphological and physiological response of Helianthus annuus L. to drought stress and correlation of wax contents for drought tolerance traits. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-021-06098-1
3. Alloway, B. J. (2008). Zinc in soils and crop nutrition (2nd ed.). Brussels, Belgium: International Zinc Association (IZA).
4. Amanullah, S. A., Iqbal, A., & Fahad, S. (2016). Foliar phosphorus and zinc application improve growth and productivity of maize (Zea mays L.) under moisture stress conditions in semi-arid climates. Journal of Microbial & Biochemical Technology, 8(5), 433-439. https://doi.org/10.4172/1948-5948.1000321
5. Bahrami-Rad, S., & Hajiboland, R. (2017). Effect of potassium application in drought-stressed tobacco (Nicotiana rustica L.) plants: Comparison of root with foliar application. Annals of Agricultural Sciences, 62(2), 121-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aoas.2017.08.001
6. Basso, C., Suzuki, A., Wilms, F. W. W., & Stuker, H. (1990). Control of zinc deficiency in apple orchards in southern Brazil. In Plant Nutrition—Physiology and Applications: Proceedings of the Eleventh International Plant Nutrition Colloquium, 30 July–4 August 1989, Wageningen, The Netherlands (pp. 257-260). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands.
7. Bayraktar, N. (1991). Yield-affecting factors in winter and spring safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) progenies. Publications of Ankara University, Faculty of Agriculture, No. 1215.
8. Beck, T. H. (1971). The determination of catalase activity in soils. Journal Plant Nutrition Soil Science, 130:68–81.

9. Brennan, R. F. (1991). Effectiveness of zinc sulfate and zinc chelate as foliar sprays in alleviating zinc deficiency of wheat grown on zinc-deficient soils in Western Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 31(6), 831-834. https://doi.org/10.1071/EA9910831
10. Cakmak, I. (2008). Enrichment of cereal grains with zinc: agronomic or genetic biofortification?. Plant and Soil, 302, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-007-9466-3
11. Day, S., Kolsarıcı, Ö., Kaya, M. D., & Kaya, M. D. (2011). Effects of timing and doses of humic acid application on yield, yield components and oil content in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L). Akdeniz University Journal of the Faculty of Agriculture, 24(1), 33–37.
12. El Shafei, W. A., Mohamed, M.M., Ibrahim, A. A. E., & Nossier, M. I. (2023). Evaluation of the efficiency of foliar potassium applications as drought mitigation. Egyptian Journal of Soil Science, 63(2), 187-196. https://doi.org/10.21608/ejss.2023.198085.1576
13. El-Beltagi, H. S., Al-Otaibi, H. H., Parmar, A., Ramadan, K. M., Lobato, A. K. D. S., & El-Mogy, M. M. (2023). Application of potassium humate and salicylic acid to mitigate salinity stress of common bean. Life, 13(2), 448. https://doi.org/10.3390/life13020448
14. Fang, S., Yang, H., Duan, L., Shi, J., & Guo, L. (2023). Potassium fertilizer improves drought stress alleviation potential in sesame by enhancing photosynthesis and hormonal regulation. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 200, 107744. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.107744
15. FAO. (2023). Statistical databases. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. [Access date: December 13, 2023].
16. Farouk, S., & Al-Huqail, A. A. (2022). Sustainable biochar and/or melatonin improve salinity tolerance in borage plants by modulating osmotic adjustment, antioxidants, and ion homeostasis. Plants, 11(6), 765. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11060765
17. Hafeez, B. M. K. Y., Khanif, Y. M., & Saleem, M. (2013). Role of zinc in plant nutrition-a review. American Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 3(2): 374-391.
18. Hajihashemi, S., & Kazemi, S. (2022). The potential of foliar application of nano-chitosan-encapsulated nano-silicon donor in amelioration the adverse effect of salinity in the wheat plant. BMC Plant Biology, 22(1), 148. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-022-03531-x
19. Hanafy, R. S., & Sadak, M. S. (2023). Foliar spray of stigmasterol regulates physiological processes and antioxidant mechanisms to improve yield and quality of sunflower under drought stress. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 23(2), 2433-2450. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-023-01197-4
20. Ishfaq, M., Kiran, A., ur Rehman, H., Farooq, M., Ijaz, N. H., Nadeem, F., & Wakeel, A. (2022). Foliar nutrition: Potential and challenges under multifaceted agriculture. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 200, 104909. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2022.104909
21. Johnson, R., Vishwakarma, K., Hossen, M. S., Kumar, V., Shackira, A. M., Puthur, J. T., & Hasanuzzaman, M. (2022). Potassium in plants: Growth regulation, signaling, and environmental stress tolerance. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 172, 56-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2022.01.001
22. Kıllı, F., & Küçükler, İ. (2005). Effects of different sowing times and potassium applications on seed yield and plant characteristics of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.). In: The Role and Importance of Potassium in Agriculture, p. 101.
23. Kiani, M., Gheysari, M., Mostafazadeh-Fard, B., Majidi, M. M., Karchani, K., & Hoogenboom, G. (2016). Effect of the interaction of water and nitrogen on sunflower under drip irrigation in an arid region. Agricultural Water Management, 171, 162-172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2016.04.008
24. Kouchak Dezfouli, M., Shokuhfar, A., Lak, S., Alavi Fazel, M., & Mojaddam, M. (2024). Effect of foliar application of potassium and zinc elements on maize yield and grain nutrient content under water-deficit conditions. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 55(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2023.2256860
25. Malhotra, H., Pandey, R., Sharma, S., & Bindraban, P. S. (2020). Foliar fertilization: possible routes of iron transport from leaf surface to cell organelles. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, 66(3), 279-300. https://doi.org/10.1080/03650340.2019.1616288
26. Marschner, H. (2011). Marschner's mineral nutrition of higher plants (3rd ed.). Academic Press.
27. Mehmood, A., Ahmed, J., Rukh, S., Shahzad, K., Rafique, M., Imran, M., & Chung, G. (2021). Response to foliar micronutrients application: oil content, fatty acid profiling, growth and yield attributes in sunflower hybrids. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-394987/v1
28. Murtaza, D. F., Roșculete, E., Roșculete, C. A., & Păunescu, G. (2023). Foliar fertilization-an integral part of complex and integrated fertilizations–A review. " Annals of the University of Craiova-Agriculture Montanology Cadastre Series", 52(2), 100-107. https://doi.org/10.52846/aamc.v52i2.1395
29. Pandey, G. K., Mahiwal, S., Pandey, G. K., & Mahiwal, S. (2020). Potassium in abiotic stress. Role of Potassium in Plants, 45-49.
30. Pathak, G. C., & Pandey, N. (2010). Improving zinc density and seed yield of green gram by foliar application of zinc at early reproduction phase. Indian Journal of Plant Physiology, 15(4), 338.
31. Peñuelas, J., Gamon, J. A., Freeden, A. L., Merino, J., & Field, C. B. (1994). “Reflectance indices associated with physiological changes in nitrogen- and water-limited sunflower leaves”, Remote Sensing of Environment, 48, 145–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/0034-4257(94)90136-8
32. Potarzycki, J., & Grzebisz, W. (2009). Effect of zinc foliar application on grain yield of maize and its yielding compone. Plant, Soil and Environment, 55(12), 519-527.
33. Raza, M. A. S., Saleem, M. F., Khan, I. H., Hussain, M. B., & Shah, G. M. (2018). Amelioration in growth and physiological efficiency of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) under drought by potassium application. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 49(18), 2291-2300. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2018.1499764
34. Römheld, V., & Kirkby, E. A. (2010). Research on potassium in agriculture: needs and prospects. Plant and Soil, 335, 155-180. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0520-1
35. Ruiz-Navarro, A., Fernandez, V., Abadia, J., Abadia, A., Querejeta, J. I., Albaladejo, J., & Barbera, G. G. (2019). Foliar fertilization of two dominant species in a semiarid ecosystem improves their ecophysiological status and the use efficiency of a water pulse. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 167, 103854. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2019.103854
36. Sanyal, S. K., Rajasheker, G., Kishor, P. K., Kumar, S. A., Kumari, P. H., Saritha, K. V., & Pandey, G. K. (2020). Role of protein phosphatases in signaling, potassium transport, and abiotic stress responses. Protein phosphatases and stress management in plants: Functional Genomic Perspective, 203-232.
37. Silva, S., Guimarães, R. F. B., Nascimento, R. D., Oliveira, H. D., Teodoro, I., Cardoso, J. A. F., & Penha, J. L. D. (2018). Economic use of water in drip-irrigated maize in semi-arid region of Brazil. Journal of Agricultural Science, 10(3), 364-364.
38. Tabatabai, M. A. (1982). Soil Enzymes. (Ed: A.L. Page, R.H. Miller, D.R. Keeney). Methods of Soil Analysis, ASA, SSSA, Publisher, Madison, WI, s. 903-947.
39. USDA. (2016). World agricultural supply and demand estimates. United States Department of Agriculture. [Access date: May 10, 2016].
40. Vendemiatti, E., Moreira, R. O., Dos Reis, G. L., Hernandez-De Lira, I. O., Peña-Yewtukhiw, E., Hippler, F. W.R., & Benedito, V.A. (2025). Global transcriptional modulation and nutritional status of soybean plants following foliar application of zinc borate as a suspension concentrate fertilizer. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 3309.
41. Wada, S., Takagi, D., Miyake, C., Makino, A., & Suzuki, Y. (2019). Responses of the photosynthetic electron transport reactions stimulate the oxidation of the reaction center chlorophyll of photosystem I, P700, under drought and high temperatures in rice. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20(9), 2068. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20092068
42. Waraich, E. A., Rashid, F., Ahmad, Z., Ahmad, R., & Ahmad, M. (2020). Foliar applied potassium stimulate drought tolerance in canola under water deficit conditions. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 43(13), 1923-1934. https://doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2020.1758132
43. White, C. A., Roques, S. E., & Berry, P. M. (2015). Effects of foliar-applied nitrogen fertilizer on oilseed rape (Brassica napus). The Journal of Agricultural Science, 153(1), 42-55.
44. White, P. J. (2013). Improving potassium acquisition and utilisation by crop plants. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 176(3), 305-316. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.201200121
45. Zhang, Y., Guo, S., Wang, R., & Li, H. (2021). Soil enzyme activities and microbial community responses to nutrient management: Implications for sustainable agriculture. Applied Soil Ecology, 165, 104005.
46. Zörb, C., Senbayram, M., & Peiter, E. (2014). Potassium in agriculture–status and perspectives. Journal of Plant Physiology, 171(9), 656-669.