MINIMIZING THE EFFECT OF SOIL SALINITY ON FENNEL PLANT USING CYANOBACTERIA AND COMPOST

This study was carried out during the two successive growing seasons of 2013/ 14 and 2014/15 at the Farm of Soils, Water and Environ. Res. Inst., Agric., Res. Center in Sahal El-Tina (Por-saied Governorate), to investigate effects of cyanobacteria at rates of 0, 6 or 9 g/L and compost at rates of 0, 6, 8 and 10 ton /fad on growth, fruits yield, essential oil %, essential oil yield/ plant and its components and chemical composition of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)under soil salinity conditions.  Gradual and significant increase in plant height, numbers of branches and number of umbels/ plant, fresh and dry weights of plant, fruit yield per plant, essential oil percentage in fruits, and essential oil yield per plant were recorded with increasing the tested cyanobacteria  concentration from zero up to 9 g/L. Maximum percentages of  α- Pinene, β- Pinene, fenchone and anethole  in the resulted essential oil also, was recorded with 9 g/L cyanobacteria while the maximum anise aldehyde % was resulted with 6 g/L cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria at all tested concentrations reduced straggle percent.  Compost treatments especially (8 ton /fad) enhanced all growth characteristics of fennel plants. Also, maximum fenchone and anethole content and minimum estragole content was resulted with 8 ton/ fad. Significant increase in growth characteristics was obtained with combination between 8 ton compost/fed and 9 g/L cyanobacteria. Conclusively,it could be recommend that using cyanobacteria(CB) at 9 g/L  with  8 ton /fad, compost enhanced fennel growth as well as fruit and essential oil yield and its composition.