The effect of biostimulants on salt damage in hydroponic cultivation of some vegetables

This study investigated the effects of biostimulants on mitigating salt damage in leafy green vegetables grown in a hydroponic system using soilless agriculture. The study utilized lettuce, basil, leaf cabbage, and pepper plants, which were subjected to 100 mM NaCl salt stress. The aim of the research was to examine how biostimulants affect plant growth, development, yield, quality, nutrition, and the mechanisms of adaptation and defense against salt stress. The experiment was conducted in a 500 m² glass greenhouse belonging to the Department of Horticulture at Çukurova University Faculty of Agriculture. The plant materials used were the Caipira curly lettuce variety, Morfes basil variety, Temel Karadeniz leaf cabbage variety, and Beşparmak ornamental pepper variety. The biostimulants used included fulvic acid, amino acids, vermicompost, mycorrhiza, bacteria, and chitosan. The trials were carried out in a deep water culture system. According to the results of the study, biostimulant applications positively affected the growth and development of plants under salt stress. Specifically, amino acid and fulvic acid applications provided significant improvements in morphological parameters such as plant height, leaf number, stem diameter, and leaf area. Additionally, biostimulants had positive effects on physiological parameters such as chlorophyll content and dry matter production. Quality parameters such as nitrate content and head firmness were also improved with biostimulant applications. Key words: Salt Stress, Biostimulants, Leafy Green vegetables, Soilless culture, Pepper