Abstract
Maize, an important component of global food security, is threatened by various abiotic stresses. Salinity is a global problem that negatively impacts about 20% of irrigated soils and reduces crop productivity. An experiment was conducted in an open glasshouse to evaluate the response of the Single-Hybrid 10 maize cultivar in saline soil to the application of the beet sugar FC treated with a mixture of phosphoric and sulfuric acids (TFC) and molasses. Plant height and fresh and dry weight of the maize plants were significantly increased as a result of the application of 5 ton ha(-1) of TFC and 125 L ha(-1) of molasses. Besides, the application of 5 ton and 125 L ha(-1) of TFC and molasses, respectively, reduced the accumulation of Na while enhancing the accumulation of Ca and K in maize plants. The highest soil contents of K+, Ca2+, Mg+, HCO32-, and SO4- as well as the available N, P, and K, and the lowest contents of Na+ and Cl- as well as the lowest electric conductivity (EC) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) resulted from applying TFC and molasses at the rates of 5 ton and 125 L ha(-1), respectively. Treating beet sugar FC with a mixture of phosphoric and sulfuric acids improved the solubility of various components and reduced the economic cost of converting FC into an efficient soil amendment. TFC is a promising organic amendment of saline soils that could promote plant growth and biofortification by improving the soil physiochemical properties.