Leaf Area Response of Lantana camara L. subsp. camara to Plant Growth Regulators under Different Photosynthetic Flux Conditions

Abstract

The effect of various plant growth regulators on leaf area development of Lantana camara L. subsp. camara was investigated under three photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) conditions (100%, 72%, and 34% light transmittance). The triazole compounds paclobutrazol (0, 50, 100, 200, and 500 mg·L-1) and triapenthenol (175, 350, 700, and 1400 mg·L-1), as well as the onium-type compounds mepiquat chloride (125, 250, 500, and 1000 mg·L-1) and chlormequat chloride (750, 1500, 3000, and 6000 mg·L-1), were applied as foliar spray solutions in each PPF level after pinching the plants. Leaf area, in general, decreased logarithmically as the concentrations of paclobutrazol and triapenthenol increased at all PPF levels. On the other hand, PPF reduction was found to increase leaf area of lantana plants treated with all concentrations of each regulator. Leaf area reduction of the paclobutrazol and triapenthenol treated plants at all PPF levels exceeded 60% compared with that of nontreated plants. However, the corresponding reduction was 22%, up to 51% for the plants treated with mepiquat chloride and chlormequat chloride. These results indicate that the triazole compounds have a greater effect on the reduction of lantana leaf area than the onium-type compounds. Chemical names used: (2RS, 3RS)-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4, 4-dimethyl-2-(1H-1, 2, 4-triazol-1-yl) pentan-3-ol (paclobutrazol); (E)-(RS)-1-cyclohexyl-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1H-1, 2, 4-triazol-1-yl) pent-1-en-1-ol (triapenthenol); 1,1-dimethyl-piperidinium chloride (mepiquat chloride); (2-chloroethyl) trimethylammonium chloride (chlormequat chloride).