Advancing Cucumis sativus L. growth and managing Setaria verticillata L. through algal seed priming and Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav. spray treatments
摘要
Seed priming with Padina pavonica extract and the application of Solanum elaeagnifolium were evaluated for their effects on Cucumis sativus and the associated growth of Setaria verticillata in pot experiments. Cucumber seeds were treated with an aqueous extract of P. pavonica thallus at 1%, 2%, and 3%. Aqueous extracts of S. elaeagnifolium at 5%, 10%, and 15% were sprayed on S. verticillata to assess phytotoxicity. The 15% S. elaeagnifolium treatment resulted in the most significant suppression of weed growth, stunting shoot length by 75.47% (9.14 cm), root length by 72.52% (4.35 cm), and fresh weight by 90.34% (0.61 g) compared to the control (37.27 cm, 15.83 cm, and 6.32 g, respectively). Priming cucumber seeds with a 3% P. pavonica extract led to the most significant enhancement in growth, with improvements of 79.23% in shoot length (242.74 cm), 50.13% in root length (34.17 cm), and a 100% strengthening in fruit number (14 fruits) compared to the control (135.43 cm, 22.76 cm, and 7 fruits, respectively). A combination of 2% P. pavonica seed priming and 10% S. elaeagnifolium spray further enhanced cucumber growth while limiting weed proliferation. In this treatment, C. sativus exhibited the largest growth improvements, with 117.36% greater shoot length (294.38 cm), 72.36% greater root length (39.23 cm), and 185.71% greater fruit number (20 fruits). These results were corroborated in field trials and subsequent experiments in the following year, underscoring the effectiveness of combining seed priming with algal extract and S. elaeagnifolium spray in promoting crop growth and controlling weeds.