Effects of Nano Iron Oxide Powder and Urban Solid Waste Compost Coated Sulfur on Sunflower Yield and Yield Components in Saline-Sodic Soil

A field experiment at Qom province was conducted to study the effects of different amounts of nano iron oxide powder and urban solid waste compost coated sulfur (USWCS) on yield and yield components of sunflower plants in a saline-sodic soil, in a randomized complete block design with factorial arrangement with three replications. Treatments were two levels of urban solid waste compost coated sulfur (0 and 15 ton/ha) and two levels of nano iron oxide powder (0 and 20 mg/kg) applied to plots of 4 m2 and sunflower plants were sown. The results showed that the use of nano iron oxide and USWCS increased grain yield by 4 and 22 percent, respectively, compared to the control. The maximum increase in dry matter yield was observed by combined use of 15 (ton/ha) USWCS and 20 (mg/kg) nano iron oxide. Application of nano iron oxide powder significantly increased the plant height, head diameter and 1000 seed weight of sunflower plants. This increasing trend with the use of USWCS was also observed in plant height, head diameter and 1000 seed weight by 8, 18 and 15 percent, respectively, compared to control.