Search

A pot experiment was carried out during 2014 and 2015 seasons to study the effect of nitrogen fertilization (0, 1, 2 and 3 g N pot-1) in the form of calcium nitrate Ca (NO3)2 (15.5% N) and four spray levels with ascorbic acid (0, 50 and 100 ppm) on growth, essential oil content and chemical composition of rosemary plant. Plastic pots of 25 cm diameter were used. Experimental treatments were laid out in a split plot design. Tow cuts were taken each season. Application of nitrogen up to 3 g N pot-1 enhanced all studied growth parameters in terms of plant height, number of branches, fresh and dry weight of leaves as well as total chlorophyll, total carbohydrates, N, P, K contents. Essential oil content was enhanced by adding of nitrogen up to 2 g N pot-1, thereafter more increase in nitrogen, significantly decreased essential oil content. Spraying rosemary plants with ascorbic acid up to 100 ppm, significantly enhanced plant height, branch number, fresh and dry weight of leaves and essential oil content as well as total chlorophyll, total carbohydrates, N, P and K contents. Rosemary plants fertilized with 3 g N pot-1 and sprayed with 100 ppm ascorbic acid gave the highest value of each of plant height, number of branches, fresh and dry weight of leaves, total chlorophyll and total carbohydrates, while the highest essential oil percentage was obtained from plants fertilized with 2 g N pot-1 and sprayed with 100 ppm of ascorbic acid. Alpha-pinene, Eucalyptol, Linalool, Camphor, Endo-borneol and Cis-pinane were the major constituents of the essential oil profile, over all combinations of nitrogen and ascorbic acid levels in both cuts.

This work was carried out in the Tissue Culture Laboratory, Horticulture Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt during the period from 2015 to 2017, to investigate some factors affecting propagation of the rare ornamental climber Porana paniculata by tissue culture. Results could be briefed in the following: using clorox at 20% as a sterilant achieved the highest position in survival % and the lowest one concerning contamination %. The highest position was also occupied by clorox at 5% in relation to contamination %. Exposing explants to clorox for either 15 or 20 min gave rise to the highest survival %. Explants exposed to clorox at 20% for 15 min obtained the highest position in survival %, the pre-lowest rank in contamination % and the lowest one regarding mortality %. Using BAP at 0.60 ppm gave rise to the highest position in lateral buds survival %, regeneration capacity, culture efficiency, shoot number, shoot length and leaf number. Using 1/2 MS media induced the 1st position concerning lateral buds survival %, regeneration capacity, culture efficiency, shoot number, shoot length and leaf number. Using BAP at 0.60 ppm + 1/2 MS medium resulted in the highest records of lateral buds survival %, regeneration capacity, culture efficiency, shoot number, shoot length and leaf number. BAP at 0.40 ppm + 1/2 MS medium gave the 1st rank of shoot number. Using BAP at 1 ppm induced the 1st position regarding shoot survival %, shoot number, shoot length and leaf number. NAA at 0.1 ppm resulted in the 1st position regarding shoot survival %, shoot number, shoot length and leaf number. BAP at 1 ppm + NAA at 0.1 ppm recorded the 1st position concerning shoot survival %, shoot number, shoot length and leaf number.

Changes in temperatures, relative humidity and day length play an important role in the variation of essential oils contents and its compositions in medicinal and aromatic plants. In order to inves...

Background Eustoma grandiflorum is a new floral crop for the international flowers market, moderately cold-tolerant annual or biennial plant. A large number of seedlings can be produced by seed propagation but the quality is not uniform due to variations in the flowering time, plant height, and the number of flowers. Propagation of Eustoma grandiflorum plant by tissue culture technique is relatively low. Inducing mutations is one of the powerful tools for breeding biotechnology. Laser mutagenesis is an easy and new tool. The goal of the present work was to investigate the influence of laser irradiation on in vitro growth, anatomy, flowering, chemicals composition, and gene mutagenesis. Results The most of morphological, floral parameters, total chlorophyll, carotenoids, and anthocyanin pigment contents in the flower recorded increment by most treatments of laser types. The highest survival percentage of acclimatized plants (95%) and highest values of number of branches and branches length (cm) were obtained from treated plantlets by 20 min of green laser, while most of highest floral parameters, anthocyanin pigment contents in flower, and anatomical structural parameters recorded increasing using 20 min of blue laser and 20, 25 min of green and red laser, respectively. Contrary, the lowest values of photosynthetic pigments and carotenoids were obtained from 20 min of green laser. Conclusions The current research concluded that laser irradiation has remarkable effect on plant morphology, flowering, chemical constituents, and gene mutagenesis.

NUTRITION and some environmental variables play a major role in the growth and development of ornamental plants. Two pot experiments were carried out in a randomized complete block design to study the effect of foliar application of biostimulator agent (Atonik, 0.2%) and different sources of potassium viz. potassium sulphate (2g/L), potassium citrate (2g/L) and potassium humate (3g/L) on growth parameters and chemical constituents of Salvia farinacea plants grown under full sun and/or partial shade conditions (50 % shade) during 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons. Foliar application of atonic and different sources of potassium enhanced growth, chlorophyll, total carbohydrates and mineral contents of plants grown in both environments. Under full sun, spraying plants with K humate gave the highest number of leaves and inflorescences as well as the highest biomass of fresh and dry leaves, while under partial shade, spraying plants with K citrate + atonik gave the highest values of these traits. Foliar application of K citrate + atonik gave the highest values of fresh and dry weight of inflorescences in both environments. Plants grown under partial shade conditions were superior in plant height and individual leaf area, while those grown under open field conditions were superior in stem diameter, number of leaves, branches, roots and inflorescences per plant, fresh and dry weight of leaves, stems, roots and inflorescences per plant as well as chlorophyll, total carbohydrates and mineral contents.