Journal of Ornamental Plants
Volume:4 Issue: 2, Spring 2014

Vermicompost produced from sugarcane bagasse (SBV) or sawdust (S) were substituted at a range of different concentration in soilless bedding plant container medium, as a peat: vermiculite: perlite (6:3:1), to evaluate their effects on the growth of Dieffenbachia amoena in the greenhouse. Dieffenbachia amoena was grown in container medium PE: VE: P (6:3:1), in that peat substituted with 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50% and 60% (by volume) SBV. The control consisted of PE: VE: P (6:3:1) alone without SBV or SV. Plants were frequently treated with a nutrient solution for seven months. The greatest growth of Dieffenbachia amoena plant resulted from substitution of
60% SBV or SV instead of peat in PE: VE: P (6:3:1) potting mixtures. We concluded that vermicompost of sugarcane bagasse or sawdust was high quality substitutes for peat.

The experiment was carried out to study the impact of chilling and night break on the flowering of ornamental plants in their off-season period. Larsenianthus careyanus (Benth.) W.J. Kress & Mood is a wild potential ornamental ginger naturally growing in the evergreen forest of North Eastern states of India was selected for the current study. The rhizomes were collected and stored at 15°C for 8 months during March to October. The sprouted rhizomes after chilling treatment were planted at regular interval and sprouted plants were transferred to greenhouse with controlled light during night hours
using incandescent lamp to extend flower production from December to March. Off-season flowering was observed during January to March. A detailed morphological analysis of 23 attributes of plants under study was
recorded.

Ficus benjamina L. is indoor plant in temperate areas that is a tree species belongs to Moraceae family. Propagation of this plant is down by vegetative method. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of IBA concentration and time of taking cutting on propagation of Ficus benjamina via stenting technique in Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, in 2012. Treatments were consisted of auxin concentrations in four levels (0, 2000, 4000 and 6000 mg/l) and the cutting time (late June and early September). The experiment was performed as factorial in a completely randomized design with four replications so that ten samples were used at each replication. Percentage of graft success, rooting percentage, root number, longest root length and root dry weight were evaluated. Based on the results, largest percentage of graft success obtained in all the treatments that the hormone was used (2000, 4000, 6000 mg/l) and lowest was achieved in the control treatment. Highest rooting percentage and maximum of root number were gained in 4000 mg/l and 6000 mg/l. Longest root length and maximum of root dry weight were recorded in cuttings treated with 4000 mg/l IBA. In treatment of cutting time, all traits were the highest in early September. The results showed that IBA and time taking cutting had a large impact on the success of graft and rooting.

This research was done in hydroponic environment in greenhouse at 3 stages (vegetative, flowering and full product) in 5 concentrations of Cd (0.1, 0.3, 0.9, 2.7, and 10 μm) for investigating physiological and biological effects. This study revealed that the increase of Cd concentration in understudy treatments causes the 49% reduction of sugar solution in 10 μm treatment. On the other hand, the gradual increase of Cd in cultivation caused the increase of starch, reduction of photosynthesis and blockage of carbon cycle enzymes. Furthermore, in heavy metal stress conditions of vegetative stage, Cd has negative effects on the protein amount of total treatments in p=0.01 signified
level. When treatment starts, the amount of protein reduced until 33% in 0.1
μm concentration and this reduction can be seen also in other treatments. In contrast, in flowering stage the amount of protein is increased compared to the control. The study of different heavy metal concentration effects showed that plants are more sensitive to Cd (2-20 times more than others). The Generalized Linear Model variance test of aerial and underground plant organs traced the high level of Cd concentration in root in10 μm concentration. This increasing process in p=0.001 level also was seen in root, leaf, and fruit. The accumulation of Cd expressed high speed of Cd transport from the soil to upper organs of tomato, and this process reduced the amount of solvable sugar and protein.

Shoot tips from actively growing, greenhouse maintained plants of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana were cultured in vitro for shoot proliferation and root initiation on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with NAA and BA, both in concentrations of 0.00, 0.50, 1.00 and 2.00 mg l-1. Results showed that the maximum plantlets height (7.012 cm), node number (4.516), root number (8.860) and root length (10.160 cm) were obtained in MS medium containing 1 mg l-1 BA 1 mg l-1 NAA. Maximum shoot
number (5.886), leaf number (8.980) and proliferation index (1.791) were calculated in medium supplemented with 1 mg l-1 BA 0.5 mg l-1 NAA. Minimum plantlets height (1.988 cm), node number (1.283), root number (2.720), root length (3.016 cm), shoot number (1.221), leaf number (2.015) and proliferation index (0.405) were obtained in medium without BA and NAA (control). Fresh and dry weights of plantlets were calculated, too. About 85% of the micropropagated plantlets were established successfully in acclimatization medium containing peat, perlite and sand (1:1:1).
Regenerated plantlets were morphologically identical with mother plants.

Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) is a medicinal and ornamental plant. The effect of different concentrations of chlormequat (cycocel), and daminozide, two plant growth retardant, on plant height, flowering, the content of essence and some other traits in pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) was assessed. Plant growth retardants are commonly applied to limit stem elongation and produce a more compact plant. The experiment
was done as a factorial in randomized completely blocks design (R.C.B.D.) with 16 treatments and 3 replications in Rasht. Cycocel at 4 concentrations (0, 500, 1000 and 1500 mg/L) and daminozide at 4 concentrations (0, 1500, 3000 and 4500 mg/L) were used. Investigated characteristics were plant height, leaf number, flower number, flowering time, fresh weight, dry matter, the content of essence and carotenoid in flowers. Based on analysis of variance (ANOVA), the effect of different treatments and their interaction on most traits was significant at 0.05 level of probability. The minimum
height (24 cm/plant) in treatment of 500 mg/L cycocel 3000 mg/L daminozide, the largest number of flowers (4.66 flowers/plant) in treatment of 1000 mg/L cycocel 4500 mg/L daminozide and most essence content (0.154 mg/100 g) in treatment of 4500 mg/L daminozide without cycocel were obtained.

The abscission of Alstroemeria petals is the serious problem at the industry of cut flowers of this plant. In this study, cut Alstroemeria cv. Bridal flowers were pulsed with solutions containing natural essential oil carvacrol, gibberellic acid and benzyladenine (50 and 100 mg L-1), -5-sulfosalicylic acid (1 and 1.5 mM) and sucrose (5 and 10%) for 24 hours. The
distilled water was used as control. After treatment, the flowers were placed in distilled water, and maintained at temperature of 22 ± 2°C, 70 ± 5% relative humidity, and 15 μmol m-2 s-1 light intensity 12 hours per day. The results showed that 50 and 100 mg L-1 gibberellic acid could significantly delay flower senescence with 3.33 and 3 days, respectively as compared to the other treatments. The highest petal anthocyanin content was found at gibberellic acid (50 and 100 mg L-1), benzyladenine (100 mg L-1) and 5-sulfosalicylic acid (1.5 mM) than other treatments. Conversely, lipid proxidation
content and catalase enzyme activity was lower in these treatments as compared to the control. The protein content of gibberellic acid (50 and 100 mg L-1) pulse treated flowers was higher than other treatments. In contrast, the flowers treated with 100 mg L-1 gibberellic acid showed the lowest peroxidase enzyme activity. Overall, the vase life of Alstroemeria cut flowers cv. Bridal increased in both gibberellic acid treatments (50 and 100 mg L-1) than other studied solutions.