Flower Dry Weight Research Articles

Effect of Pinching on Growth, Yield, and Quality of African Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) cv. Pusa Narangi Gainda

Marigold is a very common and a hardy flower crop cultivated throughout the world. Pinching is an important intercultural practice commonly followed in cultivation of marigold however, this needs to be standardized for getting higher yields in commercial cultivation. Hence, the present investigation was conducted at Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute, Durgapura, Jaipur, Division of Horticulture, during 2020-21 and 2021-22 to standardize the commercial pinching practice for getting higher productivity. Three levels of pinching (no pinching, single at 20 days and double at 20 and 40 days after transplanting) were used in the course of the research arranged using a factorial randomized block layout with three replications applied to African marigold variety Pusa Narangi Gainda. The results revealed that treatment P0 (No pinching) was discovered to be the finest in increment in height of plant, early flower bud initiation flower opening and treatment P2 (Double pinching) in boosting spread of plant, primary branches, length of leaf, leaf width, leaf area, plant fresh weight, plant dry weight, total biomass, root- shoot ratio, 50% flowering, flower diameter, stalk and ray floret length, fresh and dry flower weight, mass and number of flower per plant, flower yield additionally improved quality characteristics like chlorophyll and xanthophyll content in marigold. Hence, it might be concluded that application of double pinching can be helpful and recommended in improving yield as well as quality characteristics in commercial cultivation of marigold.

Influence of phosphate and potassium solubilizing bacteria on performance of crop, endophytic and rhizosphere microbial population in chamomile

Phosphate (Bacillus megaterium) and potassium (Frateuria aurantia) solubilizing bacteria (PSB and KSB) were assessed for their agronomic impact on chamomile performance in a pot experiment at CSIR-CIMAPRC, Bengaluru. Results demonstrated that 75% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) combined with PSB and KSB significantly improved chamomile performance, enhancing plant height (41.4 cm), stem diameter (1.10 mm), number of flowers (348.67), flower: leaf ratio (1.24), and flower dry weight (4.28 g plant-1) compared to control, RDF alone, and sole solubilizer application. The combined application with 100% RDF synergistically increased rhizosphere bacterial population from 25 × 104 Cfu g-1 to 57 × 104 cfu g-1, while 75% RDF + PSB + KSB resulted in 53 × 104 cfu g-1. Morphological and biochemical analyses revealed diverse variations in chamomile endophytes and rhizosphere soil bacterial populations, mainly Bacillus and Streptococcus genera. PSB and KSB, whether applied individually or combined, significantly influenced chamomile growth and yield, with microbial dynamics enhancing nutrient solubilization and availability.

Effects of Corm Treatment with Cold Plasma and Electromagnetic Field on Growth and Production of Saffron Metabolites in Crocus sativus.

Crocus sativus L. is a widely cultivated traditional plant for obtaining dried red stigmas known as "saffron," the most expensive spice in the world. The response of C. sativus to pre-sowing processing of corms with cold plasma (CP, 3 and 5 min), vacuum (3 min), and electromagnetic field (EMF, 5 min) was assessed to verify how such treatments affect plant performance and the quality and yield of herbal raw materials. The results show that applied physical stressors did not affect the viability of corms but caused stressor-dependent changes in the kinetics of sprouting, growth parameters, leaf trichome density, and secondary metabolite content in stigmas. The effect of CP treatment on plant growth and metabolite content was negative, but all stressors significantly (by 42-74%) increased the number of leaf trichomes. CP3 treatment significantly decreased the length and dry weight of flowers by 43% and 60%, respectively, while EMF treatment increased the length of flowers by 27%. However, longer CP treatment (5 min) delayed germination. Vacuum treatment improved the uniformity of germination by 28% but caused smaller changes in the content of stigma compounds compared with CP and EMF. Twenty-six compounds were identified in total in Crocus stigma samples by the HPLC-DAD method, including 23 crocins, rutin, picrocrocin, and safranal. Processing of Crocus corms with EMF showed the greatest efficiency in increasing the production of secondary metabolites in saffron. EMF increased the content of marker compounds in stigmas (crocin 4: from 8.95 to 431.17 mg/g; crocin 3: from 6.27 to 164.86 mg/g; picrocrocin: from 0.4 to 1.0 mg/g), although the observed effects on growth were neutral or slightly positive. The obtained findings indicate that treatment of C. sativus corms with EMF has the potential application for increasing the quality of saffron by enhancing the amounts of biologically active compounds.

Growth and production of cat's whiskers plant biomass (Orthosiphon aristatus Bl. Miq.) In various accessions and harvest intervals

Cat's whiskers plant is an ornamental plant used as a medicinal plant. The part of the cat's whiskers plant used is leaves. Accessions and harvest intervals are essential for increasing optimal yields to plant biomass growth and results. This study aims to determine the effect of differences in accession, intervals, and interactions between accession differences and intervals on the growth and production of a cat's whiskers biomass. The design used in this study is a complete group design of being randomized with two treatment factors. The first factor has two treatment levels: white flowering accessions (A1) and purple flowering accessions (A2). The second factor is a harvest interval with four treatment levels, namely a 1-week harvest interval (P1), two weeks (P2), three weeks (P3), and six weeks (P4). The results showed that accession treatment significantly affected the number of books, number of branches, flowering ages, leaf fresh weight, leaf dry weight, and leaf simplicia yields. Harvest interval treatment significantly affects the height of the shoots, number of shoots, number of branches, number of leaves, flowering ages, leaf fresh weight, stem fresh weight, flower fresh weight, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, flower dry weight, and leaf simplicia yield. Accession interactions with harvest intervals significantly affect the height of the shoots, number of shoots, number of branches, number of leaves, flower fresh weight, stem dry weight, and leaf simplicia yields.

Nitrogen and spent coffee ground for enhancing nutritional, morphological, flowering and antioxidant properties of Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morfolium Ramat)

Chrysanthemum is one of the most attractive flowering plants widely grown commercially worldwide. Having a good source of organic fertilizers plays an important role in meeting the increasing demand for these plants, which requires high-quality flowers and a high survival time for the longest period. The effect of nitrogen (N) coupled with spent coffee ground (SCG) at various levels (0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0°% w/w) was evaluated on growth performance and chemical components of the Chrysanthemum over two years in a pot scale. Overall, total dry matter (TDM) was significantly enhanced with N+ by 125 and 97°% over N− in the first and second years, respectively. SCG also enhanced TDM up to the highest level of application in the range of 27–98°% and 18–81°% over SCG (0.0°%) in the same years, respectively. The interaction effect between N and SCG was perfect on TDM, flower number, and flower dry weight. Similarly, total antioxidant activities when N and SCG were coupled together gave respective increments ranging from 11.8 to 45.9 U/g DW and from 2.1 to 15.9 U/g DW compared to N alone (5.8 and 0.9 U/g DW) in both leaves and flowers, respectively. Extracts of plant treated with N and 10°% SCG exhibited a higher content of rosmarinic, caffeic, chlorogenic, vanillic acids, and rutin in the leaves. SCG as a natural organic source is easy to obtain and is a practical and cost-effective solution to plant nutrition, which can be valuable for ornamental plants, especially when combined with nitrogen.

EFFECT OF SOAKING WITH ATONIC, WATER HYACINTHS COMPOST AND BIOFERTILIZERS ON VEGETATIVE AND FLOWERING GROWTH OF TUBEROSE

This study was aimed to investigate effect of soaking Polianthes tuberosa L. bulbs in Atonic solution and inoculation with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Glomus mosseae, and fertilizing with two levels (3% and 4%) of water hyacinths Compost on some vegetative and floral growth characters of the Peral variety of tuberose plants in a Factorial experiment during spring season of 2022 using a randomized completely block design with three replicates. Tuberose bulbs were planted in black plastic bags containing 6 kg of a sandy loam soil. The results of the three-way interaction showed that the treatment of soaking with Atonic, inoculation with the combination of the biofertilizer, and fertilization with 4% level of water hyacinths Compost significantly outperformed other treatments in plant height, number of inflorescences, dry weight of flowers, vase life, and aromatic oil concentration with values of 47.33 cm, 55.33 inflorescences plant-1, 5.78 grams, 16 days,and 0.71% respectively, compared to the control treatment which resulted in values of 21.67 cm, 5.67 inflorescences plant-1, 1.81 grams, 8 days,and 0.42% respectively.

Variable resource allocation pattern, biased sex-ratio, and extent of sexual dimorphism in subdioecious Hippophae rhamnoides.

Evolutionary maintenance of dioecy is a complex phenomenon and varies by species and underlying pathways. Also, different sexes may exhibit variable resource allocation (RA) patterns among the vegetative and reproductive functions. Such differences are reflected in the extent of sexual dimorphism. Though rarely pursued, investigation on plant species harbouring intermediate sexual phenotypes may reveal useful information on the strategy pertaining to sex-ratios and evolutionary pathways. We studied H. rhamnoides ssp. turkestanica, a subdioecious species with polygamomonoecious (PGM) plants, in western Himalaya. The species naturally inhabits a wide range of habitats ranging from river deltas to hill slopes. These attributes of the species are conducive to test the influence of abiotic factors on sexual dimorphism, and RA strategy among different sexes. The study demonstrates sexual dimorphism in vegetative and reproductive traits. The sexual dimorphism index, aligned the traits like height, number of branches, flower production, and dry-weight of flowers with males while others including fresh-weight of leaves, number of thorns, fruit production were significantly associated with females. The difference in RA pattern is more pronounced in reproductive traits of the male and female plants, while in the PGM plants the traits overlap. In general, habitat conditions did not influence either the extent of sexual dimorphism or RA pattern. However, it seems to influence secondary sex-ratio as females show their significant association with soil moisture. Our findings on sexual dimorphism and RA pattern supports attributes of wind-pollination in the species. The observed extent of sexual dimorphism in the species reiterates limited genomic differences among the sexes and the ongoing evolution of dioecy via monoecy in the species. The dynamics of RA in the species appears to be independent of resource availability in the habitats as the species grows in a resource-limited and extreme environment.

Morphological And Quality Parameters Of Chrysanthemum Flowers As Influenced By Different Pre-Drying Treatments And Drying Methods

In the present study the flowers of chrysanthemum cv. Baggi were subjected to four different pre-drying treatments i.e. P0 – Control (Soaking in Distilled water for 15 minutes); P1 – Soaking in Citric acid (2%) for 15 minutes; P2 – Soaking in Magnesium Chloride (10 %) for 4 hours; P3 – Soaking in Glycerol: water (1:3) for 24 hours and five drying techniques i.e. D0 = Air drying at room temperature without embedding; D1 = Embedded drying in Silica gel in a hot air oven at 50+5 °C; D2 = Embedded drying in Silica gel in a microwave oven; D3 = Embedded drying in Borax in hot air oven 50+5 °C and D4 = Embedded drying in Borax in microwave oven in a factorial completely randomized design. Pre-drying treatment, Glycerol and Water in a 1:3 ratio proved best which resulted in a maximum dry flower weight of 0.83 grams, a minimal moisture loss of 67.45%, a maximum dry flower diameter of 4.24 centimeters, and a minimal reduction in diameter of 0.37 centimeters besides, a minimal drying time of 71.43 hours. In terms of quality parameters, the flowers treated with glycerol and water (1:3) had the highest scores for color (3.82), texture (2.76), shape (3.65), non-shattering of petals (3.87), and overall acceptability (3.64). Silica gel embedded flowers and drying them in a hot air oven resulted in a smaller reduction in diameter (0.20 centimeters) and achieved the highest scores for color (4.39), texture (4.18), shape (4.30), non-shattering of petals (4.20), and overall acceptability (4.54). The combination of the glycerol: water pre-treatment and the silica gel with a hot air oven drying method showed the least reduction in diameter (0.23 centimeters) and the highest scores for color (4.75), texture (4.60), shape (4.60), non-shattering of petals (4.55), and overall acceptability (4.75). Drying the flowers in a microwave oven with either desiccant resulted in the shortest drying time of 0.10 hours. On the other hand, air drying without embedding the flowers produced the lowest dry flower weight (0.46 grams), the highest percentage of moisture loss (82.44%), the smallest dry flower diameter (3.57 centimeters), and the largest reduction in diameter (1.00 centimeters). However, air drying took the longest time at 328.93 hours and resulted in dried flowers that were deemed unacceptable with minimal scores for color (2.70), texture (1.35), shape (1.95), and overall acceptability (2.35).

Pengaruh Kombinasi Pupuk Kandang Sapi dan Konsentrasi Pupuk Organik Briket terhadap Pertumbuhan dan Hasil Tanaman Marigold (Tagetes patula L.) Varietas Prancis Petite Orange .

Marigold (Tagetes patula L.) is an ornamental plant that has benefits in various sectors. The quantity of marigold flower production is related to the cultivation technique used. Soil conditions also affect the level of plant fertility. This can be overcome by means of fertilization. The aim of this study was to obtain a combination of doses of cow manure and bricket organic fertilizer concentration which gave the highest growth and yield of marigold plants (Tagetes patula L.) var French Petite Orange. The research was conducted at the Soursop Gardens of Casamora, City Parks and Forest Service, Ciganjur, Jagakarsa, DKI Jakarta in March - June 2023. The research method used was an experimental method with a Single Factor Randomized Block Design (RBD) consisting of 5 treatments repeated 5 time. The treatment consisted of A (0 ton/ha Cow Manure + 0 ml Organic Fertilizer Briquette) (control), B (15 ton/ha Cow Manure + 1.5 ml/liter of water Briquette Organic Fertilizer), C (20 ton/ha Manure Cattle + 1.5 ml/liter of water Organic Fertilizer Briquettes), D (15 tons/ha Cow Manure + 3 ml/liter of water Organic Fertilizer Briquettes), E (20 tons/ha Cow Manure + 3 ml/liter of Briquette Organic Fertilizer water ). The results showed that there was a significant effect of giving a combination of doses of cow manure and briquette organic fertilizer concentration in treatment E (20 tons/ha of cow manure + 3 ml/liter of water of briquette organic fertilizer) on flower diameter (32.49 mm), number of flowers (7.47), the number of branches (6.07) the yield of fresh weight of flowers (10.19 g), the yield of dry weight of flowers (3.74 grams), the yield of total fresh weight of plants (192.69 g), and the yield of dry weight total plant (54.55 g).

Flower yield potential of Pyrethrum (<em>Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium</em> L.) under various NPK Levels in the Lower Hills of Uttarakhand, India

Purpose: A favorable environment is available for the cultivation of Pyrethrum in the hilly regions of India, as well as in some mountainous areas of India. In view of the demand for Pyrethrin, it is very necessary to promote the huge cultivation of Pyrethrum. There is no misconception that research work has not been done to promote Pyrethrum, but the data related to the assessment of the right amount of nutrients required for the crop is not available in research related to agrotechnology. If the crop is to be taken as a ratoon crop, then it is very important to estimate the amount of nutrients for single recommendation of crop cultivation. Research Method: A research experiment was conducted in the year 2021 at the CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Research, Centre Purara, Bageshwar (Uttarakhand) to study the flower yield potential of Pyrethrum under various NPK levels in the lower hills of Uttarakhand. The experiment was carried out in Complete Randomized Block Design. The six different levels of NPK (kg ha-1) were taken as treatments, i.e., control, 60:60:20, 80:70:30, 100:80:40, 120:90:50, and 150:100:60. Various plant growth and yield parameters considered in the study include plant height (cm), plant diameter (cm), number of flower heads, fresh flower weight plant-1 (g), dry flower weight plant-1(g), fresh flower yield (kg ha-1), dry flower yield (kg ha-1), Pyrethrin concentration (%) and yield (kg ha-1). Findings: Based on the research findings, it seems that the NPK level of 120:90:50 is the best combination to obtain the highest dry flower yield (310.49 kg ha-1) in the lower hills of Uttarakhand. However, the fresh flower weight obtained was the highest under the NPK level of 100:80:40 i.e., 840.47 kg ha-1, but it’s dry flower yield estimated was 301.93 kg ha-1 which was the second highest yield after 310.49 kg ha-1. This could be due to the difference in moisture levels in fresh flowers at the time of harvesting.Research Limitation: Considering the climate of the hilly regions of Uttarakhand, not much work has been done to assess and standardize the proper amount of nutrients required for Pyrethrum crop cultivation, which needs to be done.Originality/ Value: In the hilly areas of Uttarakhand, farmers are interested in the cultivation of Pyrethrum, but if farmers will adopt this crop cultivation as a ratoon crop, then in such a situation it is absolutely necessary to assess the proper amount of nutrients. This research will prove helpful in promoting the cultivation of Pyrethrum in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand.

Effect of Drip Irrigation and Fertigation Levels on Yield Attributes and Yield of African Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) during Rabi

A field experiment was carried out at College farm, College of Agriculture, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU), Hyderabad, Telangana during rabi season 2022 to study the effect of drip irrigation and fertigation levels on yield attributes and yield of marigold. The results revealed that the drip irrigation scheduled at 1.2 Epan recorded significantly higher number of flowers per plant (55.3), flower diameter (5.8 cm), flower fresh weight per plant (557.2 g), flower dry weight per plant (101.9 g) and flower yield (12.11 t ha-1) than 1.0 Epan and 0.8 Epan. Whereas among the fertigation levels, 125% recommended dose of NK recorded significantly higher number of flowers per plant (53.7), flower diameter (5.6 cm), flower fresh weight per plant (538.4 g), flower dry weight per plant (92.8 g) and flower yield (11.48 t ha-1) than 100%RDF and 125%RDF.

Influence of SA, GA3 and Pinching on Growth and Flowering in Verbena

A field experiment was conducted to find out effect of salicylic acid (SA), GA3, pinching and their interaction on the growth and flowering attributes of verbena × hybrida. Three concentration each of GA3 (100,150 and 200 ppm) and SA (100, 150 and 200 ppm) was foliar sprayed at 21 days after transplanting to run-off stage and pinching was done at 40 days with three replications set in Randomized Block Design. Pinching treatment recorded significantly maximum no. of primary branches/plant, stem diameter, fresh weight and dry weight of leaves, fresh leaf biomass, leaf area, flower longevity, fresh weight of flower, no. of spikes/plant and peduncle length. However, no. pinching treatment recorded maximum plant height, early bud initiation and early flowering. Spraying of GA3 100 ppm resulted in early bud initiation. GA3 150 ppm recorded fresh weight of leaves, fresh leaf biomass and bud cluster diameter. However, maximum plant height, leaf area, no. of spikes/plant and peduncle length was observed with GA3 at 200 ppm. Among various doses of salicylic acid, SA 100 ppm recorded maximum stem diameter. Early flowering, maximum fresh and dry weight of flower was seen with SA 150 ppm. SA 200 ppm resulted in maximum no. of primary branches/plant and flower diameter. Significant effect of interaction between pinching and plant growth chemicals (GA3 and SA) was observed in most of the growth and flowering attributes.

Effect of Tryptophan and Glutamic Acid on Morphological Traits of Iranian and Afghan Saffron

In order to investigate the effect of amino acids tryptophan and glutamic acid on the morphological traits of saffron medicinal plant, a factorial experiment was conducted in the form of a randomized complete block design in three replications in 2018 in the research farm of Zanjan University. Experimental treatments include three genotypes (Iranian, Afghani 1 and Afghani 2) as the main treatment and amino acid tryptophan at two levels (1 and 2 mM) and glutamic acid at two levels (1 and 2 mM) as secondary treatments. They were considered as witnesses. The results showed that tryptophan and glutamic acid treatments had a significant effect (P ≤ 0.01) on most of the investigated traits including number of flowers, dry weight of flowers, vegetative body. The highest content of number of flowers and dry weight of flowers were observed, respectively, 34.6 and 37.36 mg of dry weight. Also, the performance traits of flower fresh weight, stigma dry weight, showed significant difference (P ≤ 0.05) under the treatment of two amino acids. The maximum yield of phenol and flavonoid in 2 mM tryptophan concentration was 0.35 and 0.026 mg/g/ha, respectively, and the lowest yield in 1 mM glutamic treatment was 0.34 and 0.02 mg/g/ha, respectively.
 In total, different levels of tryptophan and glutamic acid can have an effective role in improving the morphological traits and production of this product. The use of 1 mM glutamic acid to produce the maximum vegetative body of the plant, the treatment of 1 and 2 mM of both amino acids to improve physiological indicators and 1 mM of glutamic acid for the performance of secondary metabolites is desirable and recommended for the purpose.

Effect of Tryptophan and Glutamic Acid on Phytochemical Traits of Iranian and Afghan Saffron

In order to investigate the effect of Tryptophan and Glutamic acid amino acids on physiological traits of saffron, a factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications in 2019 at the research farm of Zanjan University. Experimental treatments include three genotypes (Iranian, Afghani 1 and Afghani 2) as the main treatment and the amino acid Tryptophan at two levels (1 and 2 mM) and Glutamic acid at two levels (1 and 2 mM) as sub-treatments, were considered with witnesses. The results showed that Tryptophan and Glutamic acid treatments had a significant effect about one percent (0.01 %) on the main traits including flower number, flower dry weight, vegetative body, phenol yield, antioxidant activity and crocin. Also, yield traits of phenol, flavonoids and antioxidants treated with two amino acids showed a significant difference about five percent (0.05 %). The maximum yields of phenol and flavonoids at 2 mM Tryptophan concentration were 0.35 and 0.026 mg / g, respectively, and the lowest yields at 1 mM Glutamic treatment were 0.34 and 0.02 mg / g, per hectare. In general, different levels of Tryptophan and Glutamic acid can play an effective role in improving the physiological traits and production of this product. Application of 1 mM Glutamic acid to produce the maximum vegetative body of the plant, treatment of 1 and 2 mM both amino acids to improve physiological parameters and 1 mM Glutamic acid for the performance of secondary metabolites is desirable and recommended.

Canopy Phenology and Meteorology Shape the Seasonal Dynamics in Hydrological Fluxes of Dissolved Organic Carbon in an Evergreen Broadleaved Subtropical Forest in Central Japan

Seasonal variabilities in hydrological fluxes of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and their driving factors in the evergreen broad-leaved forest are inadequately understood. To aid this understanding, we conducted a three-year study to examine seasonal changes in DOC concentration and flux in throughfall, stemflow, and litter leachate in an evergreen broad-leaved subtropical forest in central Japan. We specifically addressed (1) how DOC in different hydrological fluxes vary on a monthly to seasonal basis, and (2) how canopy phenology and meteorology shape the DOC concentration and flux of throughfall, stemflow, and litter leachate trends in this evergreen forest. Clear seasonal changes were found in throughfall and stemflow DOC concentration but not in litter leachate DOC concentration; the highest throughfall DOC concentrations were observed in spring (10.03 mg L−1 in 2017 and 9.59 mg L−1 in 2018, respectively) and the highest stemflow DOC concentrations were observed in summer (13.95 mg L−1 in 2017 and 16.50 mg L−1 in 2018, respectively). Correlation analysis revealed the monthly throughfall DOC concentration to be positively related to the dry weight of fallen leaves (r = 0.72, p < 0.05) and flowers (r = 0.91, p < 0.05). In addition, Random Forest models predicted that the dry weight of flowers was a primary driver of throughfall DOC concentration and that the DOC concentrations of stemflow and litter leachate were constrained by the throughfall DOC concentration. DOC fluxes in different hydrological flux were significantly positive related to bulk precipitation amounts and temperature. Moreover, the throughfall DOC concentration had a considerable effect on throughfall and litter leachate DOC fluxes. Over 75% of annual net tree-DOC (throughfall + stemflow) fluxes and more than 70% of the annual litter leachate DOC fluxes were produced in the flowering season. Thus, we speculated that the seasonal phenological canopy changes (leaf emergence, fallen leaves, flowering, and pollen) and the sufficient rainfall had great impacts on the amount and quality of DOC concentrations in the evergreen forest; and, furthermore, that the DOC from different forest hydrological fluxes was a significant fraction of the carbon that accumulates in soils.

Effect of tryptophan and glutamic acid on morphological traits of Iranian and Afghan saffron

In order to investigate the effect of amino acids tryptophan and glutamic acid on the morphological traits of the saffron medicinal plant, a factorial experiment was conducted in the form of a randomized complete block design in three replications in 2018 in the research farm of Zanjan University. The experimental treatments include three genotypes (Iranian, Afghani 1, and Afghani 2) as the main treatment and tryptophan amino acid at two levels (1 and 2 mM) and glutamic acid at two levels (1 and 2 mM) as secondary treatments. They were considered as testify. The results showed that tryptophan and glutamic acid treatments had a significant effect (p ≤ 0.01) on most of the studied traits including the number of flowers, dry weight of flowers, and vegetative body. The highest content of the number of flowers and dry weight of flowers were observed, respectively, 34.6 and 37.36 mg of dry weight. Also, the performance characteristics of the fresh weight of the flower and the dry weight of the stigma showed a significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) under the treatment of two amino acids. In total, different levels of tryptophan and glutamic acid can have an effective role in improving the morphological traits and production of this product. The use of 1 mM glutamic acid to produce the maximum vegetative body of the plant, the treatment of 1 and 2 mM of both amino acids to improve morphological indicators, and 1 mM of glutamic acid for the performance of secondary metabolites is desirable and recommended for the purpose.

Effect of tryptophan and glutamic acid on morphological traits of Iranian and Afghan saffron

In order to investigate the effect of amino acids tryptophan and glutamic acid on the morphological traits of the saffron medicinal plant, a factorial experiment was conducted in the form of a randomized complete block design in three replications in 2018 in the research farm of Zanjan University. The experimental treatments include three genotypes (Iranian, Afghani 1, and Afghani 2) as the main treatment and tryptophan amino acid at two levels (1 and 2 mM) and glutamic acid at two levels (1 and 2 mM) as secondary treatments. They were considered as testify. The results showed that tryptophan and glutamic acid treatments had a significant effect (p ≤ 0.01) on most of the studied traits including the number of flowers, dry weight of flowers, and vegetative body. The highest content of the number of flowers and dry weight of flowers were observed, respectively, 34.6 and 37.36 mg of dry weight. Also, the performance characteristics of the fresh weight of the flower and the dry weight of the stigma showed a significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) under the treatment of two amino acids. In total, different levels of tryptophan and glutamic acid can have an effective role in improving the morphological traits and production of this product. The use of 1 mM glutamic acid to produce the maximum vegetative body of the plant, the treatment of 1 and 2 mM of both amino acids to improve morphological indicators, and 1 mM of glutamic acid for the performance of secondary metabolites is desirable and recommended for the purpose.

Alteration of Flower Yield and Phytochemical Compounds of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) by Application of Different Light Qualities and Growth Regulators

Saffron is the world’s most coveted spicy plant that has medicinal value. Currently, due to diverse types of difficulties in growing this plant outdoor, the tendency to produce it indoor has been increased. Optimized indoor conditions for growing saffron plants is not fully determined so far. This study was conducted to investigate the interactive effects of two plant growth regulators (PGRs), including gibberellic acid (GA3) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and four light recipes, including white, monochromatic blue, monochromatic red, and a combination of 50% red and 50% blue on the flower yield and phytochemical components (such as crocin, picrocrocin and safranal) in stigmas of indoor-grown saffron. The results showed that exogenous GABA application and combined red and blue LED lights enhanced the performance of saffron flowers in terms of the number of flowers (up to 1.97 per corm) as well as the fresh and dry weight of flowers and stigmas. In saffron, the concentration of three major secondary metabolites is of great importance since it determines its commercial, pharmaceutical quality. GABA induced saffron’s chemical ingredients toward the phytochemicals safranal (up to 5.03%) and picrocrocin (up to 15.8%), while GA3 induced them toward the carotenoid pigment crocin (up to 25.1%). In conclusion, the application of GABA with a combination of red and blue lights enhanced the production of high-quality stigmas and positively affected the yield of flowers in saffron plants.

Ex Vitro Rooting of Cannabis sativa Microcuttings and Their Performance Compared to Retip and Stem Cuttings

There is demand for micropropagated Cannabis sativa liner plants, because they are uniform, vigorous, and pathogen free; however, availability is limited because of challenges with in vitro culture decline and ex vitro rooting. Ex vitro rooting success of microcuttings was evaluated for ‘Abacus’ and ‘Wife’ when cultures were 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 weeks old from initiation. Microcuttings of ‘Wife’ harvested from 6, 9, and 12-week-old cultures rooted at or above 80%, but rooting declined to 50% and 30% for 15- and 18-week-old cultures, respectively. Rooting for ‘Abacus’ remained relatively constant between 47% and 70% for microcuttings harvested from 6- to 18-week-old cultures. ‘Wife’ plants grown from microcuttings, stem cuttings, and retip cuttings (cuttings taken from new shoots on recently micropropagated plants) had equivalent total shoot length, number of shoots, and flower dry weight, whereas micropropagated ‘Abacus’ plants had less shoot length and flower dry weight than plants from stem cuttings. However, when micropropagated ‘Abacus’ plants were provided an extra week of vegetative growth to reach an initial size equivalent to stem and retip plants, all plants performed the same. Propagation method did not change cannabinoid content for both ‘Abacus’ and ‘Wife’. Retip cuttings of ‘Abacus’ and ‘Wife’ rooted at 76% to 81% without rooting hormone, which is comparable to rates reported for stem cuttings of C. sativa treated with rooting hormone. Propagators should consider retipping to expand their liner production, because retips root well and possess the same desirable attributes as micropropagated plants.

Effect of exogenous putrescine on flower growth, post-harvest quality and root mycorrhizal development of gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii cv. Dune) cut flowers

• Putrescine increases the rate of mycorrhiza colonization in the root. • Putrescine and mycorrhiza improved the quality of gerbera cut flowers. • Putrescine and mycorrhizal inoculation maintained the quality of gerbera cut flowers during vase life period. Effect of putrescine on the rate of mycorrhiza colonization in root and their effect on the growth and flowering process of gerbera ‘Dune’ was investigated in the form of factorial trial in a completely randomized design with three replications in a greenhouse. The factors were four concentrations of putrescine (0, 1, 2, and 4 mM) as foliar application and mycorrhizal fungus (without and with inoculation). The Mycorrhizal fungus was inoculated when plantlets transfer to pots, and two weeks after establishment; putrescine foliar application was performed every 15 days-interval for three months. Morphological and physiological characteristics measured in this research were included the number of flowers per plant, the time of bud formation until flowering, flower diameter, fresh and dry weight of flowers, flower longevity, total phenol, and leaf anthocyanin, as well as symbiosis percentages. The results showed that foliar application of putrescine increased mycorrhiza colonization in roots, and the highest colonization was obtained at the concentration of 2 mM putrescine application. Also, their interaction had a positive effect on other measured traits compared to the control. Putrescine and mycorrhiza increased the quality of gerbera cut flowers and reduced ions leakage, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, and lipoxygenase activity, and increased ascorbate peroxidase activity.