Effect of Biostimulants on Seed Yield and Essential Oil Productivity of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.)

Abstract

The purpose. Establishing the impact of variety, biostimulants, and application methods on the formation of seed yield and essential oil productivity of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), as well as determining the share of influence of the studied factors and their interactions based on statistical evaluation of the obtained results. Methods. The research was conducted in 2024–2026 under the conditions of the agricultural enterprise “V. V. Plakushchenko”, Odesa Region, Ukraine. A three-factor field experiment was conducted to study coriander cultivars Oksanit and Nektar, methods of biostimulant application – pre-sowing seed treatment and its combination with three foliar applications at the rosette, stem elongation and budding stages as well as the following biostimulants: a suspension of the green microalgae Chlorella vulgaris + Scenedesmus obliquus, Nostoc, and Fitomare. The experiment was established according to a 2 × 2 × 4 factorial design with four replications. Seed yield, essential oil content and essential oil yield per unit area were determined. The obtained data were processed using statistical methods. Results. A positive effect of biostimulant application on the formation of coriander productivity was established. According to the mean data for 2024–2026, the Oksanit cultivar was characterized by higher seed yield (1.41 t/ha), essential oil content (0.95%), and essential oil yield (39.80 kg/ha) compared with the Nektar cultivar – 1.28 t/ha, 0.86%, and 34.44 kg/ha, respectively. The combination of pre-sowing seed treatment with foliar applications increased the average seed yield to 1.40 t/ha compared with 1.30 t/ha when only pre-sowing seed treatment was used. Among the biostimulants studied, Fitomare provided the highest average seed yield – 1.55 t/ha, followed by the green microalgae suspension -1.45 t/ha, Nostoc -1.28 t/ha, while the control treatment resulted in 1.11 t/ha. A similar trend was observed for essential oil content: 1.03%, 0.96%, 0.87%, and 0.77%, respectively. The average essential oil yield with Fitomare application was 41.83 kg/ha, compared with 39.68 kg/ha for the green microalgae suspension, 36.08 kg/ha for Nostoc, and 30.90 kg/ha in the control. The maximum values of the main productivity indicators were obtained in the Oksanit cultivar when pre-sowing seed treatment was combined with three foliar applications of Fitomare: seed yield – 1.69 t/ha, essential oil content – 1.10%, and essential oil yield – 46.00 kg/ha. Scientific Novelty. The scientific novelty of the obtained results lies in establishing the patterns of coriander seed yield and essential oil productivity formation depending on the interaction of cultivar characteristics, application method, and type of biostimulant under the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine. The most effective combination of the studied factors for achieving high seed yield, essential oil content, and essential oil yield was identified. The practical significance of the research results lies in substantiating the feasibility of using biostimulants in coriander cultivation technology. The combination of the Oksanit cultivar, pre-sowing seed treatment, and three foliar applications of Fitomare proved to be the most effective based on the overall set of studied indicators. The high performance obtained with the suspension of the green microalgae Chlorella vulgaris + Scenedesmus obliquus confirms the potential of its use as a biological component of coriander cultivation technology. Conclusion. The application of biostimulants contributed to an increase in coriander seed yield, essential oil content, and essential oil yield. The highest productivity was achieved by the Oksanit cultivar when pre-sowing seed treatment was combined with three foliar applications of Fitomare, resulting in a seed yield of 1.69 t/ha, essential oil content of 1.10%, and essential oil yield of 46.00 kg/ha.