Alleviating effect of sheep wool manure on morphological and physiological characteristics of lavender (Lavandula officinalis L.) under salt stress

The use of organic materials improves the physical characteristics of the soil and increases the productivity and success of plant taxa. In this context, in recent years there have been some studies examining the effects of sheep wool fertilizer on plants. However, the number of studies investigating the effects of sheep wool fertilizer on a plant under salt stress are very limited. In this study, it was examined whether sheep wool pellet had an improving effect on the quality, growth and physiological characteristics of lavender plants under different salt concentrations and what the appropriate sheep wool pellet dose was. For this purpose, a two-factor factorial trial design with five repetitions was established. Different salt concentrations (0 mM, 30 mM, 60 mM and 90 mM) and sheep wool manure pellets (0%, 0.5%, 1%, 2% and 4%) were applied to a total of 100 potted plants. As a result of the study, it was found that medium and low doses of sheep wool fertilizer (especially KYG-2 + NaCl-0 and KYG-1 + NaCl-0) had positive effects on lavender plants. On the other hand, increasing salt concentrations (NaCl-60 and NaCl-90) caused negative effects on lavender plants. These results highlight the importance of using sheep wool fertilizer as a way to reduce the effects of salt stress and increase productivity in the cultivation of the explored lavender species. Additionally, developing lavender varieties resistant to salt stress and supporting the use of organic materials along with cultural practices can increase sustainability in lavender cultivation.