EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OF RAW LEONARDITE ON THE VEGETATIVE GROWTH RESPONSES OF MARIGOLD (Tagetes patula L.) AND USING IN CULTIVATION

Leonardite's including high content of humic acid ranging from 30 to 80% may make it useful

as a soil reclamation and improvement. Marigold (Tagetes patula L.) is a ornamental plant

that is not very selective in terms of climate and soil and is grown in many countries of the

world. The experiment were conducted to evaluate the vegetative growth responses of

marigold obtained by the addition of different levels of raw leonardite to the clayey-loamy

soil growing medium. Also, it was conducted to examine the effects of leonardite on growth

of marigold and to provide information about potential optimal and toxic levels. Tagetes

patula L. cv. "Nana" is used as plant material. In the experiment, different levels of raw

leonardite were prepared by adding 1/64 leonardite (v/v) (T1), 1/32 leonardite (T2), 1/16

leonardite (T3), 1/8 leonardite (T4), 1/4 leonardite (T5) to soil medium and control groups

were prepared by adding commercial humic acid to soil medium (30 ml l-1

) (T6) and using

only soil medium (T7). In the experiment, T1 application was increased in marigold shoot

growth compared with plants produced with only soil. It was observed that there was no

statistical difference between T7 and T6 applications with T1 application in terms of

parameters number of leaf (29 number plant-1

), the number of side branches (15.67 number

plant-1

), shoot fresh weight (35.91 g), fresh (18.91 g) and dry weight (1.36 g) of root and stem

diameter (6.43 mm). The highest organic matter ratio was determined in T6 application; other

applications were in the same statistical group in terms of organic matter ratio. Total nitrogen,

P and K amounts were determined at the highest rate in T4 and T5 applications. The obtained

results showed that beneficial effect had been taken from low levels of natural leonardite in

marigold.