Effect of kinetin and zinc foliar spray on growth performance of Clivia miniata L. Plant

Abstract EN

-Experiment was conducted at Sakha Horticulture Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, Egypt, during the two successive seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 to study the effect of foliar spray with kinetin and zinc on Clivia miniata, L.

plant for improving growth performance and raising new formed rhizomes.

Kinetin and zinc were sprayed after three weeks of planting, three times, with three weeks' interval at the rates of 0, 30,60 and 90 mg/L for kinetin and 0,100 and 150 ppm for zinc sulphate.

Results indicated that application of kinetin at the rate of 90 ppm coupled with zinc at the rate of 150 ppm significantly increased leaf length by 45.65%, number of leaves by 49.40%, fresh weight of leaves/plant by 57.85 %, dry weight of leaves/plant by 56.90%, precocity in flowering by 35.17% , flowering stalk length by 34.47%, flowering stalk diameter by 41.89%, flowering stalk fresh weight by 66.11%, flowering stalk dry weight by 64.84%, , number of florets/flower by 57.79%, number of flower/clump by 60.77% and flowering duration by 47.89% and number of rhizomes/clump by 66.6 as well as fresh and dry weights of rhizomes/ clump by 34.38 and 56.79% respectively.

In addition, root length was increased by 55.27%, number of roots by 48.72% as well as fresh and dry roots by 60.07 and 38.59% respectively.

Besides, it increased chemical constituents i.e.

nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, chlorophyll (a), chlorophyll (b), carbohydrates content in leaves by 51.73, 51.62, 38.99, 58.36, 41.55 and 30.45%, respectively, compared to untreated plants.

Therefore, application of kinetin at the rate of 90 ppm coupled with zinc at the rate of 150 ppm after three weeks of planting Clivia miniata.

L.

three times with three weeks' interval improved growth performance and raised new formed rhizomes/ clump under local conditions.