Borage (Borago officinalis L.) is a yearly herbaceous
plant belonging to the Boraginaceae family and known as the bee plant
or bee bread. Borage is a significant medicinal plant indigenous to the
Mediterranean region and has become widespread in many other
countries. A factorial experiment was executed to assess the impact of
humic acid and micro nutrients on the growth characteristics, chemical
composition, and oil production of borage plants. It was carried out at
the Experimental Farm of the Horticulture Department, Faculty of
Agriculture, Moshtohor, Benha University, through the two
consecutive growing seasons of 2020/2021 and 2021/2022. This trial
comprised 16 treatments which were the outcome of the combination
between soil addition with humic acid at 0 (control), 2, 3 and 4 kg/fed,
and foliar spray with water (control), Zn, Fe or Mn at 100 ppm for each
one. Results indicated that the treatment of humic acid at 4 kg/fed +
Fe at 100 ppm was significantly improved the growth characters
including number of branches, fresh and dry weight of herb. The
treatment of humic acid at 4 kg/fed + Fe at 100 ppm also produced the
greatest values of total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and
carbohydrate in both seasons. Meanwhile, the treatment of humic acid
at 4 kg/fed + Zn at 100 ppm significantly improved the characters
including plant height, fresh and dry weights of inflorescences, and
seed yield in both seasons. The treatment of humic acid at 4 kg/fed +
Zn at 100 ppm gave the highest fixed oil percentage followed by humic
acid at 4 kg/fed + Fe at 100 ppm. Exactly 68 compounds were
identified and accounted in the components of Borago officinalis
fixed-seed oil samples of the second season when analyzed by GC-
MS. Where the sample resulted from the treatment of humic acid (4
kg/fed) + Fe (100 ppm) recorded 33 compounds. Conversely, the
sample resulted from the control treatment recorded 14 compounds. |
