ABSTRACT
This study was carried out in order to determine effects of calcium nitrate and humic acid applications on pepper seedling growth under saline condition. A mixture of soil:sand (1:1) was used as a plant growing media including 90 mg kg-1 P2O5, 180 mg kg-1 K2O and 250 mg kg-1 N. Four different doses of humic acid (0, 1000, 2000 and 4000 mg kg-1) and calcium nitrate (0, 50, 100 and 150 mg kg-1) were applied into the growing media. Before sowing Demre variety pepper seeds, 60 m mol NaCl was added into 300 cm3 soil:sand mixture in each pot. Applications of humic acid and calcium nitrate significantly affected pepper seedling growth. 1000 and 2000 mg kg-1 humic acid and 50 mg kg-1 calcium nitrate applications increased fresh and dry leaf weight, fresh and dry root weight, stem diameter, root length and shoot length. The highest rates of humic acid (4000 mg kg-1) and calcium nitrate (100 and 150 mg kg-1) decreased these criteria of pepper seedling under the saline soil condition.