EFFECT OF FOLIAR SPRAY WITH BA (BENZYLADENINE) AND B-9 (Daminozide) ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF Majorana hortensis, MOENCH PLANT.

Abstract

This experiment was carried out at the Agriculture Experimental Station, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza in two successive seasons of 2005-2007and 2006-2008. The aim of this research was to study the effect of foliar spray with BA and B-9 on the growth and yield of marjoram plant. The plants were sprayed with BA at the rates of 50, 100 and 150 ppm, and B-9 at the rates of 500, 1000 and 2000 ppm in addition to control treatment which sprayed with distilled water. The obtained results can be summarized as follows: All concentrations of BA or B-9 increased all recorded parameters as compared with the control treatment with significant differences in most cases during the two seasons. In the first season, the highest values of plant height, fresh weight of herb, dry weight of herb, dry weight of leaves and flowering tops, total seasonal yield of dry weight of herb and total seasonal yield of dry weight of leaves and flowering tops were produced from using BA at 150 ppm, while the highest dry weight of stems was obtained from B-9 at 2000 ppm. The lowest values of all recorded characters were resulted in control treatment. In the second season, the highest values of plant height, dry weight of herb and total seasonal yield of dry weight of herb were produced from BA at 100 ppm, whereas the highest values of fresh weight of herb and dry weight of stems were obtained from BA at 150 ppm. Also the highest values of dry weight of leaves and flowering tops and total seasonal yield of dry weight of leaves and flowering tops were resulted in B-9 at 500 ppm. Generally, in combined analysis BA at 150 ppm was the most effective treatment in increasing total seasonal yield of dry weight of herb and total seasonal yield of dry weight leaves and flowering tops. Different cuts as a general mean had a significant effect on all recorded parameters in the two seasons. In the first season, the highest values of plant height and fresh weight of herb were produced from the second cut. Also, the highest values of dry weight of herb, dry weight of leaves and flowering tops and dry weight of stems were produced from the third cut. In the second season, the highest values of fresh weight of herb, dry weight of herb, dry weight of leaves and flowering tops and dry weight of stems were obtained from fourth cut, whereas the highest value of plant height was produced from the first cut. The interaction between the growth regulators (BA or B-9) and the different cuts increased all recorded parameters as compared with the control in any cut during the two seasons with significant differences in most cases.