Abstract

This investigation was carried out during 2016/2017 to study the effect of extract and powder of Licorice (Glycyrrhizaglabra L.) on the growth of onion (Allium cepa L. cv. Bafatiem). For this purpose a field experiment was conducted in a farmer field in the village of Al-Wahat, Tuban District,Lahej Governorate.The experiment consisted of 7 treatments: spraying licorice extract with three concentrations (5, 10, 15 g / L) and thev addition of powder to the soil at three levels (5, 10, 15 g / m²) in addition to the control (without spraying and without addition). The soil of the experiment was cultivated and the seedlings were planted in the permanent land. Spraying was done in three batches after planting in the field for 60 days with a two weeks gap (interval), and the plants were sprayed until the fully wetness. In addition, the licorice root powder was added to the soil during planting; the second was added after 60 days of the first batch and then the experiment was carried out using the randomized complete block design with three replicates. The results of the field experiment showed that all the treatments of spraying and addition of powder to soil gave the low values of plant, height, compared with control which gave the highest average plant height of 81.23 cm. Licorice extract spraying at 5g/L and the addition to soil of powder at 5 and 10 g/m² recorded the highest tuber blade number which reached to 20.47, 20.6 and 20.53 blade/plant. Thus, the addition of powder to soil at 5g/m² caused a significant increase in tuber blade number compared with control which was the lowest in tuber blade number and reached to 19.6 blade/plant. Onion plants treated with licorice powder at 15g/m² and spraying at 5g/L caused increase in the leaves area that reached 19.73 cm² and 18.82 cm² respectively. The difference was significant compared with control and all other treatments, except the difference was not significant between the spraying at 5g/L and addition to soil of powder at 5g/m². Licorice extract spraying at 5g/L and the addition of powder to soil at 5g/m² caused an increase in dry weight of total vegetative of 11% for both.