Abstract:
The present study evaluates the effect of Chlorella vulgaris suspension used as a biofertilizer in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) cultivation under field conditions in the Republic of Moldova during the 2025 agricultural year. The experiment included pre-sowing seed treatment, soil application, and foliar treatments with algal suspension, compared with a control treated with distilled water. Morpho-physiological and biochemical parameters were analyzed, including field emergence, plant height at different ontogenetic stages, yield, and seed quality indicators. Results showed that Chlorella vulgaris positively influenced early plant development, increasing field emergence by 4.90% (relative growth of 5.93%). Treated plants showed improved growth during early ontogenetic stages, while final yield increased by about 10%. Significant improvements were also observed in seed quality, particularly oleic acid content (+29.16%), oil content (+4.14%), and protein content (+2.11%). These findings highlight the potential of Chlorella vulgaris as an effective and sustainable biofertilizer that enhances sunflower productivity and quality while supporting environmentally friendly agricultural practices.
Description:
This work was supported research subprograms 010102, 010801 funded by the Ministry of Education and Research, Republic of Moldova.
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States