EFFECT OF FOLIAR APPLIED SALICYLIC ACID ON GROWTH AND FLOWERING OF GAZANIA RIGENS L. PLANT UNDER SALT STRESS

Abstract

This investigation was carried out at the nursery, Department of Floriculture, Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Gardening, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, during 2019 and 2020 seasons. The study was a trial to investigate the effect of different levels of salinity (0, 1000, 2000 and 3000 mg/l) and different concentrations of salicylic acid sprayed on the leaves (0, 100 and 200 mg/l) and their combinations on the vegetative growth and some chemical constituents of Gazania rigensplants grown in plastic pots of 30 cm filled with a sandy clay soil (1:1 v/v). The results revealed that the salinity level of irrigation water was more effective than salicylic acid concentrations on the all studied characteristics of Gazania rigensplant. Additionally, using the tap water (control) combined with salicylic acid at 200 mg/l gave the significantly highest values of leaves number, leaves dry weight, leaves area, number of flowers per plant, flower dry weight, root length, root dry weight, chlorophyll, proline, sodium and carbohydrates (%) of the leaves. Generally, it is recommended to irrigate the plants cultivated in the sandy clay soil (1:1 v/v) three times per week with using level of saline irrigation water no more than 3000 mg/l combined with salicylic acid at the rate of 200 mg/l to induce improvements in the vegetative, floral growth and some chemical constituents of Gazania rigensplants.

Keywords

• gazania rigens
• salinity
• irrigation water
• salicylic acid