Potential therapeutic uses of fenugreek, Trigonella foenum-graecum, are
famous in traditional medicine. More recently, it has been revealed that total
saponin content in the defatted seed extract is related to the hypocholesterolemic
activity of the seeds. Enhancement of growth of fenugreek plant and saponins
content in the seeds was the main target of the current investigation. This was attained
by the application of all possible combinations of humic acid (1000 ppm),
micronutrients foliar fertilizer (1000 ppm) and salicylic acid (300 ppm). Data
were recorded on leaf content of chlorophylls (a and b) and carotenoids, pods
number and weight per plant, seed weight per plant, seed yield per feddan,
weight of thousand seed, seed fixed oil percentage, fixed oil yield per feddan and
total steroidal saponins in defatted seed extract. Different treatments exerted significant
effect for improvement of the measured characteristics. Humic acid
alone or combined with either or both of salicylic acid and the foliar fertilizer exhibited
the best yield characteristics including seed and oil yields per feddan and
total content of steroidal saponins.