Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Professor, Department of Water Science and Engineering, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156-83111, Iran
2
Former Ph.D. Student, Department of Water Science and Engineering, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156-83111, Iran
3
Associate Professor, Department of Water Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Fasa University, Fasa 74616-86131, Iran
Abstract
Fertilizers and water play critical roles in supporting plant growth, and enhancing the efficiency of their application is essential, especially in drought-affected regions, to maximize the utilization of these vital resources. In this study, our objective was to examine the impact of water deficit stress and a superabsorbent slow-release fertilizer (SSRF) on the growth, yield, and oil production of Thymus daenensis. The experiments were conducted using a total of 27 drainage lysimeters to ensure accurate measurements and observations. The experiment was designed as a completely randomized factorial design, specifically investigating the effects of three fertilizer rates (0, 10, and 50 Mg ha-1) and three irrigation regimes (50%, 70%, and 100% of water requirement). The synthesis of the SSRF involved the graft-copolymerization of acrylic acid and acrylamide onto sodium alginate and rapeseed meal biochar. The preparation of the biochar was carried out at a temperature of 300 ºC. The surface morphology analysis of the SSRF provided evidence for the successful occurrence of graft polymerization. Additionally, the graft copolymers exhibited a significant nitrogen content, which greatly contributed to their high free-absorbency capacity of 40%. as determined by the tea bag method. The results of the study indicate that water stress had a negative impact on growth, herbage production, and herbage content. Conversely, water stress had a positive influence on the essential oil content of the plants. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the application of 50 Mg ha-1 fertilizer resulted in a significant increase in biomass production compared to the other treatments.
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