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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: Jacek Sosnowski,  Robert Rosa,  Krzysztof Pakuła,  Jolanta Franczuk and  Karol Remiszewski  
Open Access
|Dec 2025

Figures & Tables

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

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

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

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

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

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

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
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/cag-2025-0013 | Journal eISSN: 3071-740X | Journal ISSN: 2081-2787
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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: 1 issue per year
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.

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