Some Facilitators Effects on Alfalfa and Sainfoin Growth in Restoration of Dry-Farming Lands (Study Area: Balekhlichay Watershed, Ardabil, Iran)

Aim: The effects of potassium silicate nanoparticles (PSN) and effective microorganisms (EM) were studied on the growth of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa Lam.) and soil. Materials & Methods: Split-split plot in a complete randomized block design with three replications was used for this experiment. Planting time in two seasons (autumn and spring) as the main plot, facilitators in five levels, including control, PSN (500 and 1000mg/lit), and EM (1 and 2%), as sub-plots and two legume species as sub-sub plot were studied in the field. In the four-leaf step of plants, PSN and EM were added in three steps as a solution. Findings: The highest amount of plant viability (80, 82.22%), height (59, 68.33cm), basal diameter (13.33, 16.66cm), canopy cover (993.33, 1242.66cm2), leaf area index (67.79, 84.93cm2), relative water content (70.46, 88.32%), chlorophyll (0.87, 0.72mg.g-1), photosynthesis rate (27.29, 28.49µmolco2.cm-2s-1), number of inflorescence (57.33, 56N/m2) and 1000-grain weight (33.30, 3.89g.m-2) were in sainfoin (EM2%) and alfalfa (PSN1000mg/lit), respectively. Total biomass (423.87 and 374.50g.m-2) was maximum in PSN1000mg/lit for both species. EM and PSN caused desirable effects on the soil characters of species substrates (p<0.01). The maximum value of all studied soil characters belonged to PSN1000. Additionally, autumn sowing compared to spring planting enhanced the studied traits of planted species and their substrate soil.             Conclusion: The usage of appropriate PSN and EM concentration in this study to restore dry-farming lands and improve species growth and forage yield can be suggested.