Response of loquat seedling growth to interaction between fertilizers and plant growth regulators

Abstract

Loquat is an important commercial crop in several countries. Seedling growth was affecting the production of loquat. Fertilizers and plant growth regulators was an important factors to obtain the high quality seedling. This experiment aimed to determine the effects of fertilizers and plant growth regulators on loquat seedling growth. Two doses of compound fertilizers (5 and 10 gram/polybag) with two times of application and three types of plant growth regulators (naphthalene acetic acid/auxin, gibberellic acid/gibberellin, benzylaminopurine/cytokinin) with four doses (0, 25, 50, 100 ppm) were applied to the seedling of loquat. Fifteen parameters i.e. plant height, number of mature and young leaves, number of buds, stem diameter, roots length, leaf surface area of mature and young leaves, fresh and dry weight of leaves, stem, and roots, and total biomass were observed during the experiment. Twenty combination treatments between fertilizers and plant growth regulators gave difference response on loquat seedling. In general, the best treatment is the combination between 5 gr/pot of fertilizers and 100 ppm of cytokinin. Although fertilizers was not significantly affecting the loquat seedling growth, and plant growth regulators was affecting some parameters, the interactions of fertilizers and plant growth regulators was significantly affecting the loquat seedling growth, and almost all parameters has correlated. Our recommendation, the application of plant growth regulators during seedling growth was more effective and efficient than fertilizers.