INFLUENCE OF SOME COMPOUNDS AS ANTITRANSPIRANT AGENTS ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF PELARGONIUM GRAVEOLENS PLANT

Abstract

An investigation concerning Pelargonium graveolens plant was carried out during two successive growing seasons of (2013 and 2014) at the Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Menoufia University, Shebin El – Kom , Egypt. This study was designed to determine the efficiency of antitranspirant agents i.e., magnesium carbonate (MgCO3) and sodium salicylate (S.S) at (10, 20 and 30 ppm) which used as chemical antitranspirant and active dry yeast (ADY) at (5, 10 and 15 g/l) which used as natural antitranspirant on growth, yield and active constituents of geranium plant (Pelargonium graveolens) grown on a clayey soil. Results reported that, all antitranspirant agents at different concentrations had a significant effects on growth and yield characters such as plant height (cm), number of main branches/plant, fresh weight of herb (g/plant) and fresh weight of leaves (g/plant and ton/fed) in the 1st and 2nd cuts during two seasons. Their maximum values in this concern were found in plants sprayed with active dry yeast (ADY) at 10 g/l in two cuts during both seasons. Also, the application of sodium salicylate at (20 and 30 ppm) produced the highest oil content (%) for the 1st and 2nd cuts, respectively during both seasons. Moreover, geraniol, linalool, gerannyl tiglate and cis-rose oxide were found to be the major compounds in the essential oil of Pelargonium graveolens which reached its maxima by spraying (ADY) at 10 mg/l ,(ADY) at 15 mg/l, (S.S) at 20 ppm and (S.S) at 30 ppm, respectively during second cut in the first season.