Effects of Biostimulant Applications on the Morphological Characteristics of Coriander and Parsley under Soil Cultivation System

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resorces, Arak university, Arak, Iran

Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of two biostimulant applications (soil inoculation with Trichoderma harzianum and foliar spraying of Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed extract) on the morphological characteristics of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) and parsley (Petroselinum crispum Mill.) grown under a soil cultivation system. The experiment was conducted as a factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two factors: Trichoderma inoculation (control vs. 500 mg L⁻¹ applied twice) and seaweed extract foliar application (control vs. 1 g L⁻¹ applied four times). Growth parameters measured included plant length (PL), plant volume (PV), leaf number (LN), plant fresh mass (PFM), plant dry mass (PDM), and dry matter percentage (DM). For coriander, Trichoderma application significantly increased PL, PV, LN, PFM, and PDM, while seaweed foliar application significantly improved PV, LN, PFM, and PDM. The interaction between Trichoderma and seaweed was significant for LN, PFM, and PDM, with the combined application producing the highest values for these parameters. For parsley, Trichoderma application significantly enhanced PL, PV, PFM, and PDM, and also significantly reduced DM. Seaweed foliar application alone significantly increased only PL. The interaction effect was significant only for DM. Principal component analysis (PCA) confirmed that Trichoderma and seaweed biostimulants, particularly when applied together, can effectively improve the morphological characteristics and productivity of coriander, while Trichoderma alone provides notable benefits for parsley under soil cultivation conditions.

Keywords


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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 30 November 2026

  • Receive Date 16 July 2026
  • Revise Date 30 August 2026
  • Accept Date 20 September 2026
  • First Publish Date 21 September 2026
  • Publish Date 30 November 2026