Influence of Humic Substances on Seed Germination and Early Growth of Medicago sativa L. under In Vitro Conditions

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of humic substances on seed germination and early development of Medicago sativa L. under moist and in vitro conditions. Humic substances, including fulvic acid, purified fulvic acid, and potassium humate, were evaluated as natural biostimulants capable of regulating early plant developmental processes.
The results demonstrated that fulvic acid significantly stimulated germination at early stages under moist conditions, accelerating germination dynamics and improving initial seedling development. However, its effect on final germination percentage was limited. Under in vitro conditions on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, humic substances did not enhance germination compared to the control, indicating a possible interaction with the nutrient composition of the medium.
Additionally, the formation of atypical cell structures in root apical regions was observed in the presence of fulvic acid, suggesting a potential role in regulating cellular activity. The findings confirm that the effect of humic substances is dependent on environmental conditions and their chemical nature, highlighting their potential as natural growth regulators in plant biotechnology