Effect of Fertilization and Salicylic Acid Spraying on Vegetative Growth of Acacia Senna surattensis L

This study was conducted at the College of Agriculture, Tikrit University, during the 2024 season. The aim was to investigate the effect of applying balanced NPK fertilizer at a ratio of 20:20:20, at quantities of 0, 20, 40, and 60 g.plant-1. Salicylic acid was also sprayed at three concentrations: 0, 250, and 500 mg/L on the growth characteristics of acacia. The study was conducted in three replicates, according to a randomized complete block design (RCBD), with an average of three plants per experimental unit. The results showed that bi-interaction treatment, consisting of fertilizing with 60 g.plant-¹ of NPK and spraying with 500 mg/L¹ salicylic acid, was superior in all studied vegetative traits. Plant height reached 166.902 cm, stem diameter 25.5783 mm, number of branches 29.6667, number of leaves 1845.70, and crown diameter 89.333 cm. The practical importance of this treatment lies in its potential to improve vegetative growth of Acacia senna surattensis within seedling production programs and afforestation projects, especially in arid and semi-arid environments, due to its role in accelerating plant growth and achieving higher efficiency in exploiting agricultural resources. The clear improvement in growth indicators also reflects the ability of this treatment to enhance plant physiological functions, making it an effective option in sustainable agricultural production. However, the results of this study are limited by the fact that they were obtained from a single agricultural season in a single geographic location, without testing the long-term effects of the treatment or across different environments.