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Effects of the foliar application of humic biostimulant on alfalfa and cucumber – case studies Cover

Effects of the foliar application of humic biostimulant on alfalfa and cucumber – case studies

Current Agronomy
Volume 54 (2025): Issue 2 (June 2025)
By: ,  ,  ,   and    
Open Access
|Dec 2025
Figures & tables

Figures & Tables

Table. 1.

Meteorological conditions in the cucumber growing period (IMGW-PIB, Hydrological and Meteorological Station in Siedlce).

YearsMonthAverage during the cucumber vegetation period
MAYJUNJULAUG
Mean daily air temperature [ºC]
202510.817.719.418.216.5
Many year (1991–2010)13.517.019.719.517.2
Total precipitation [mm]
202584.761.597.024.1267.3
Many year (1991–2010)58.359.657.559.9235.3
Table 2.

The selected morphometric traits of Medicago × varia T. Martyn in relation to the growth stimulator and number of application.

BiostimulantNumber of applicationMean
TwiceFour times
Length of stalks [cm]
Control45.9 Ba41.3 Ba43.6 B
Humic biostimulant49.9 Ab54.1 Aa52.0 A
Number of shoots per plant [pieces]
Control14.0 Aa13.0 Ba13.5 B
Humic biostimulant16.0 Ab18.0 Aa17.0 A
Number of leaves per shoot [pieces]
Control30.0 Ba32.0 Ba31.0 B
Humic biostimulant38.0 Ab43.0 Aa40.5 A
Diameter of root collar [mm]
Control5.10 Ba4.90 Ba5.00 B
Humic biostimulant7.20 Aa6.80 Aa7.00 A

[i] Means in lines marked with the same small letters do not differ significantly

[ii] Means in columns marked with the same capital letters do not differ significantly

Table 3.

Mass of different parts of Medicago × varia T. Martyn in relation to the growth stimulator and number of application.

BiostimulantNumber of applicationMean
TwiceFour times
Total dry matter [g DM] per plant
Control182 Ba194 Ba188 B
Humic biostimulant269 Aa337 Aa303 A
Shoot weight per plant [g DM]
Control9.20 Ba10.0 Ba9.60 B
Humic biostimulant10.5 Aa11.5 Aa11.0 A
Leaves weight per shoot [g DM]
Control11.3 Bb12.9 Ba12.1 B
Humic biostimulant14.4 Ab16.4 Aa15.4 A
Inflorescence weight per shoot [g DM]
Control0.80 Ba0.90 Ba0.85 B
Humic biostimulant1.50 Aa1.40 Aa1.45 A
Root system weight [g DM] per plant
Control4.00 Ba4.20 Ba4.10 B
Humic biostimulant4.60 Ab5.10 Aa4.85 A

[i] Means in lines marked with the same small letters do not differ significantly

[ii] Means in columns marked with the same capital letters do not differ significantly

Table 4.

Content of potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus in dry matter of Medicago × varia T. Martyn in relation to the growth stimulator and number of application.

BiostimulantNumber of applicationMean
TwiceFour times
Phosphorus [g kg−1]
Control3.15 Ba3.23 Ba3.19 B
Humic biostimulant3.72 Aa3.80 Aa3.76 A
Potassium [g kg−1]
Control17.9 Ba16.8 Ba17.4 B
Humic biostimulant19.9 Aa19.5 Aa19.7 A
Calcium [g kg−1]
Control23.1 Aa22.9 Aa23.0 A
Humic biostimulant24.2 Aa24.5 Aa24.4 A
Magnesium [g kg−1]
Control2.70 Ba2.85 Ba2.78 B
Humic biostimulant3.51 Aa3.44 Aa3.48 A

[i] Means in lines marked with the same small letters do not differ significantly

[ii] Means in columns marked with the same capital letters do not differ significantly

Table 5.

Cucumber fruit yield depending on the growth stimulator and the number of applications.

BiostimulantNumber of applicationMean
TwiceFour times
Total marketable yield [t ha−1]
Control32.57 Aa33.07 Aa32.82 B
Humic biostimulant36.07 Aa37.80 Aa36.93 A
Gherkin cucumber yield [t ha−1]
Control5.55 Ba5.65 Ba5.60 B
Humic biostimulant6.75 Ab7.16 Aa6.95 A
Pickle cucumber yield [t ha−1]
Control27.02 Aa27.41 Aa27.22 A
Humic biostimulant29.32 Aa30.64 Aa29.98 A

[i] Means in lines marked with the same small letters do not differ significantly

[ii] Means in columns marked with the same capital letters do not differ significantly

Table 6.

Dry matter and protein content in cucumber fruits in relation to the growth stimulator and number of application.

BiostimulantNumber of applicationMean
TwiceFour times
Dry matter [%]
Control5.11 Aa5.08 Aa5.09 A
Humic biostimulant5.25 Aa5.24 Aa5.24 A
Protein [g 100 g−1 F.M.]
Control1.50 Aa1.54 Aa1.52 A
Humic biostimulant1.48 Aa1.50 Aa1.49 A

[i] Means in lines marked with the same small letters do not differ significantly

[ii] Means in columns marked with the same capital letters do not differ significantly

Table 7.

Content of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium in fresh matter of cucumber fruits in relation to the growth stimulator and number of application.

BiostimulantNumber of applicationMean
TwiceFour times
Phosphorus [mg 100 g−1 F.M.]
Control37.4 Aa37.9 Aa37.6 A
Humic biostimulant38.2 Aa38.0 Aa38.1 A
Potassium [mg 100 g−1 F.M.]
Control217.4 Aa217.8 Aa217.6 A
Humic biostimulant218.5 Aa220.0 Aa219.2 A
Calcium [mg 100 g−1 F.M.]
Control20.8 Aa20.2 Ba20.5 A
Humic biostimulant21.1 Aa21.9 Aa21.5 A
Magnesium [mg 100 g−1 F.M.]
Control18.1 Aa18.0 Aa18.0 A
Humic biostimulant18.2 Aa18.2 Aa18.2 A

[i] Means in lines marked with the same small letters do not differ significantly

[ii] Means in columns marked with the same capital letters do not differ significantly

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/cag-2025-0013 | Journal eISSN: 3071-740X (formerly 2956-9494) | Journal ISSN: 2081-2787
Journal RSS Feed
Language: English
Page range: 152 - 160
Submitted on: Nov 5, 2025
Accepted on: Dec 18, 2025
Published on: Dec 30, 2025
Published by: Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: Volume open
Keywords:
growth stimulator,
fulvic acids,
Medicago × varia T. Martyn,
Cucumis sativus L.,
quality of the yield,
quantity of crop
Related subjects:
Life sciences,
Plant science,
Ecology

© 2025 Jacek Sosnowski, Robert Rosa, Krzysztof Pakuła, Jolanta Franczuk, Karol Remiszewski, published by Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 54 (2025): Issue 2 (June 2025)
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