Effect of Benzyl Adenine, Calcium Chloride and Chitosan on Growth and Flower Production of Gerbera Jamesonii Bolus ex. Hook. Cv. Esmara

Abstract

The experiment was conducted in the field of the Department of Horticulture and Landscaping Desigen, College of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Mosul, during the period from March 2021 to April 2022, on the Gerbera plant Gerbera jamesonii (Esmara), with the aim of studying its response to treatment with benzyl adenine at a concentrations: 0 and 250 mg l-1 and calcium chloride at a concentrations: 0, 125 and 250 mgl-1 and chitosan at a concentrations: 0, 150 and 300 mgl-1, sprayed on the vegetative growth monthly, for a full year, starting from March 2021 until April 2022. It was used in the implementation of the experiment A Factorial Experiment of two Split Plots with a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications and 15 treatment plants. The results showed that the treatment of plants with benzyl adenine with spraying with calcium chloride at a concentration of 250 mgl-1 for both interact with spraying with chitosan at a concentration of 300 mgl-1 recorded the highest significant values for the characteristics of: total yield of inflorescences produced, number of leaves, leaves area, number of branches and leaf content of total chlorophyll in against the lowest values of the control treatment. The results of the characteristics of the inflorescences produced during the study seasons, including the inflorescence diameter, the scape length, and the inflorescences yield, showed that they were at their maximum during the spring season, while the largest significant values were recorded for the inflorescence diameter and the vase life during the winter season.