Effect of benzyl adenine and gibberellic acid on the vegetative growth and flowering of chrysanthemum plant

Abstract EN

The present study was carried out during two successive seasons of 2016 and 2017 in nursery of Department of Floriculture, Ornamental Horticulture and Garden Design Faculty of Agriculture University of Alexandria at Shatby to investigate the effect of foliar spraying three times of four concentrations (0, 50, 100 and 200 ppm) of each of benzyl adenine and gibberellic acid singly or in combinations (16 treatments) on the vegetative growth, flowering characteristics and some chemical analysis of Chrysanthemum morifolium cv.

“Zambla White”.

Results indicated that using benzyl adenine alone at 100 – 200 ppm led to significant increases of some studied parameters (branch dry weight, period from showing color to full opening stage, flowering duration on plant, inflorescence dry weight and total carotenoids content).

Besides, using gibberellic acid alone at 200 ppm gave significant increases of all the studied parameters of Chrysanthemum plant.

While using benzyl adenine at 100 ppm combined with gibberellic acid at 200 ppm gave the maximum increases of all the studied parameters, compared with the other treatments.

From the previous results generally it can be recommended to spray Chrysanthemum morifolium cv.

"Zambla White" three times during the vegetative growth period with benzyl adenine at 100 ppm combined with gibberellic acid at 200 ppm to activate the vegetative growth of the plants and produced early flowering with a high quality.