الفهرس 
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Abstract
The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of compost at 0.0, 250, 500 and 750 g/pot and some stimulants treatments (chitosan at 20 and 40 ppm, and thiamine at 25 and 50 ppm, in addition to control), as well as their interactions on the vegetative, root and flowering traits as well as some chemical composition of Calendula officinalis, L. plants grown in sandy soil.
The gotten results could be summarized as follow:
I-Effect of compost on:
I-A- Vegetative and root growth parameters:
All used levels of compost (250, 500 and 750 g/pot) led to significant increase on vegetative and root growth parameters (plant height, number of mean branches/plant, stem diameter, number of leaves/plant, leaf area, fresh and dry weights of aerial parts as well as fresh and dry weights of root system) compared with control. The highest values for abovementioned traits were produced with 750 g/pot compost.
I-B- Flowering traits:
All flowering traits parameters of calendula i.e., number of flowers/plant/cut, flower diameter, flowers fresh and dry weights/plant/cut, total number of flowers/plant, and total flowers fresh and dry weights/plant were significantly increased due to application plants with compost in both seasons facing the control. The best results for abovementioned traits were obtained with 750 g/pot compost.
I-C- Chemical constituent parameters:
Photosynthetic pigments i.e., chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids as well as NPK% were significantly increased as a result to applying all used levels of compost during both seasons relative to control. The high level of compost (750 g/pot) was superior in this concern in both seasons.
II- Effect of chitosan and thiamine treatments on:
II-A- Vegetative and root growth parameters:
Both of chitosan and thiamine treatments significantly increased the abovementioned traits of vegetative and root parameters facing the control in both seasons. In all cases, the treatment of chitosan at 40 ppm, followed by thiamine at 50 ppm was more suitable in this concern, with significant differences between such two superior treatments in most cases.
II-B- Flowering traits:
All abovementioned flowering aspects were significantly increased comparing with control in both seasons due to all used treatments, with superiority to chitosan. The highest values were recorded with the treatment of chitosan at 40 ppm in both seasons.
II-C- Chemical constituent parameters:
All stimulants’ treatments significantly increased photosynthetic pigments content (chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids) and NPK percentages during both seasons comparing with control. With the best overall treatment was chitosan at 40 ppm in both seasons.
III-Effect of the interaction treatments on:
III-A- Vegetative and root growth parameters:
The interaction between compost levels and both of chitosan and thiamine treatments was significant for all vegetative and root growth characters during both seasons comparing with control. The highest values were achieved from the interaction treatment of 750 g/pot compost with chitosan at 40 ppm in all cases, followed by 750 g/pot compost with thiamine at 50 ppm, in some cases.
III-B- Flowering traits:
The interaction between compost levels and both of chitosan and thiamine treatments was significant for all flowering traits during both seasons comparing with control. The highest values were achieved from the interaction treatment of 750 g/pot compost with chitosan at 40 ppm in all cases, in the second order, the treatment of 750 g/pot compost with thiamine at 50 ppm, in some cases, in this concern.
III-B- Chemical constituent parameters:
The interaction between compost levels and both of chitosan and thiamine was significant for chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids as well as NPK% during both seasons, except N% in the second season comparing with control. The highest contents were recorded with the treatment of 750 g/pot compost with chitosan at 40 ppm in both seasons.