Effect of Ca, K, and Mn Foliar Spray on Vegetative Traits of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) under Salt Stress

In order to study the effect of Ca, K, and Mn foliar spray on vegetative traits of safflower (Padideh cultivar) under salt stress, a factorial experiment was conducted based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications in Vali-asr university greenhouse. Factors included salinity with four levels representing 0, 500, 1000, and 1500 mg NaCl kg -1, and foliar spray with four level representing 10 mM spray of distilled water, CaNo3, K2HPO4 and MnSo4, 1 mM spray, respectively, sprayed two weeks after emergence, one application per 2 weeks. Results showed that increasing salinity level, reduced plant dry weight, leaf area, height, while salinity and foliar spray treatments has no effect on number of leaves. Highest leaf area was obtained after K2HPO4 and CaNo3 foliar spray, and lowest leaf area was obtained from MnSo4, K2HPO4 and CaNo3 foliar spray prevented somewhat early plant growth rate reduction treated with 500 and 1000 mg NaCl. Applying 1500 mg NaCl reduced SPAD value, and leaf chlorophyll fluorescence. MnSo4, K2HPO4 and CaNo3 foliar spray nutrients, also reduced SPAD value.