Evaluation of Hydroponic Barley Fodder (Hordeum vulgare L.) Responses to Different Concentrations of Humic Acid and Seaweed Extract in Terms of Growth, Productivity, and Nutritional Quality
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65421/jibas.v2i4.260Keywords:
Hydroponic Barley, Fodder Production, Humic Acid, Seaweed Extract, Organic Nutrients, Crude Protein, Calcium, Biostimulants.Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of humic acid and seaweed extract, applied at different concentrations, on the productivity and growth efficiency of hydroponic barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) fodder. The experiment was conducted under controlled conditions of temperature (17-22 °C) and relative humidity (approximately 60%) in the Soil and Water Laboratory at the Higher Institute of Agricultural Technologies, Al-Gheran, Tripoli, Libya. The experiment lasted 8 days, from sowing to harvest, using a hydroponic cultivation technique. A completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicates was employed, and distilled water was used in all treatments. The treatments comprised humic acid and seaweed extract, each at two concentrations (1.20 and 2.40 mL/L), in addition to an untreated control. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), and treatment means were compared using the least significant difference (LSD) test at the 0.05 level of significance.
Significant differences were observed among treatments for most traits. Humic acid at 2.40 mL/L (F1C2) produced the highest fresh mat weight (2513.3 g), dry matter percentage (37.55%), dry weight (771.31 g), and crude protein content (17.5%), outperforming the control. In contrast, seaweed extract at 2.40 mL/L (F2C2) yielded the highest calcium content (36.84 mg/100 g) and showed improvements in stem length and diameter, though not always statistically significant.
Overall, humic acid proved more effective in enhancing biomass accumulation and protein content, while seaweed extract demonstrated relative advantages in mineral enrichment, particularly calcium. The study recommends the application of humic acid at 2.40 mL/L to improve the nutritional quality and productivity of hydroponic barley fodder, with seaweed extract offering complementary benefits for mineral enhancement.
