Abstract
Tithonia diversifolia is a year-round weed that decomposes rapidly after application as a soil amendment and it is more and more used in agriculture due to its numerous properties. The use of Tithonia diversifolia in the production of plantain vivoplants is a great opportunity for small holders’ farmers that cannot easily buy chemical inputs for yield improvement. All plant parts are used because of their richness in nutrients, mineral elements and phytochemicals without knowing which part is the most efficient. Tithonia diversifolia used as substrate amendment for plantain vivoplants production in nursery could promote their growth. This study aims to evaluate the effect of T. diversifolia leaves and stems as substrate amendment on plantain vivoplants growth promotion. The vivoplants were produced in substrates amended with T. diversifolia leaves, stems, combination of leaves and stems, and control without amendment. The vegetative growth parameters (number of shoots, height and diameter of shoots, area of shoots leaves) were assessed in sterilized substrate and unsterilized substrate conditions. T. diversifolia leaves and stems treatment increases the number of shoots, the height and the diameter of shoots as well as the area of shoots leaves compared to the control. T. diversifolia stems are the more efficient treatment, followed by the combination of T. diversifolia leaves and stems and finally the T. diversifolia leaves. They act as a biofertilizer promoting thus, the growth of plantain vivoplants in the nursery. All parts of Tithonia diversifolia can therefore be used by poor small holder farmers, as green manure for soil amendment in a green agriculture context.
Highlights
Tithonia diversifolia (Asteraceae family) is a year-round weed that grows abundantly along road paths, boundaries and on abandoned farmland throughout the tropics and subtropics
This study aims to evaluate the effect of T. diversifolia leaves and stems as substrate amendment on plantain vivoplants growth promotion
T. diversifolia leaves and stems treatment increases the number of shoots, the height and the diameter of shoots as well as the area of shoots leaves compared to the control
Summary
Tithonia diversifolia (Asteraceae family) is a year-round weed that grows abundantly along road paths, boundaries and on abandoned farmland throughout the tropics and subtropics. T. diversifolia plays an important role in crops nutrition and control due to its biofertilising and antifungal properties respectively [1] [2] [3] [4]. It is rich in nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium; and defense metabolites, such as flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, PR-proteins for plants defense [1] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]. The addition of natural inputs based on Tithonia diversifolia could be a solution to improve the growth of vivoplants while reducing the impact of chemical inputs in banana cultivation
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