**3.1 Average leaf length and root mat expansion**

When comparing all soak treatments in conjunction with all irrigation intervals on average leaf length, Treatment 20 with 16-h soaking time and 12-h irrigation duration

*Seed Soaking Times and Irrigation Frequencies Affected the Nutrient Quality and Growth… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104503*

produced the longest leaf of 14.33 0.9 cm, while Treatment 9 produced the shortest leaf (6.23 0.40 cm) when compared to the control treatment. Both the independent and combined effects of soaking time and irrigation interval on leaf length were significant at P ≤ 0.05 (**Figure 3**). Additionally, the root mat expansion was most

#### **Figure 3.**

*Effect of soaking time and irrigation interval on average leaf length of* H. vulgare. *Means that do not share the same letters are significantly different.*

#### **Figure 4.**

*Effect of soaking time and irrigation interval on root mat expansion of* H. vulgare. *Means that do not share the same letters are significantly different.*

significant in Treatment 12 (8 h soak–4 h irrigation) and less significant in Treatment 25 (24 h soak–12 h irrigation) at a 95% confidence limit (**Figure 4**).
