Effect of Different Levels of Humic and Fulvic Acids on the Growth and Yield of Two Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Varieties

Hawraa  naeem jalal; Saja  Abdullah Mohammed; Amir Malik H. Al-Shammari

doi:10.51699/cajmns.v7i3.3274

Authors

Hawraa naeem jalal College of Basic Education, Al-Muthanna University, Al-Muthanna, Al-Samawah, Iraq
Saja Abdullah Mohammed University of Al-Qadisiyah/College of Science /Department of Biology
Amir Malik H. Al-Shammari Department of Field Crops, College of Agriculture, Al-Muthanna University, Al-Muthanna, Al-Samawah, Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51699/cajmns.v7i3.3274

Keywords:

Hordeum vulgare L, Barley cultivars, Humic acid, Fulvic acid

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in Al-Qadisiyah Governorate during the winter agricultural season of 2025–2026. The study evaluated two barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars, Ebaa 265 and Ebaa 99, grown in a silty loam soil. The experiment followed a split-plot design with three replicates, where cultivars were allocated to the main plots and organic acid levels were assigned to the sub-plots. The results revealed the following findings; Effect of Humic and Fulvic Acids: Application of these organic acids led to a significant increase across all yield traits and their components. The treatment levels of 40 and 60 L·ha⁻¹ achieved the highest averages for the number of spikes per square meter, number of grains per spike, 1000-grain weight, total grain yield, and biological yield. Cultivar Performance: Distinct genetic variations were observed between the two cultivars. Ebaa 99 significantly outperformed Ebaa 265 in most studied traits, securing the highest grain yield, biological yield, and harvest index (37.71%). Conversely, Ebaa 265 showed a significant superiority solely in the 1000-grain weight. Two-Way Interaction: The combination of the Ebaa 99 cultivar with the higher organic acid application rates yielded the best interactive outcomes regarding spike count, grain number per spike, and total grain yield. This study concludes that applying humic and fulvic acids at a rate of 40 L·ha⁻¹ represents the optimal economic and physiological choice. This concentration provides sufficient nutrition to maximize crop productivity without requiring higher doses, while Ebaa 99 demonstrates a clear production advantage under the environmental conditions of the study area.

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