Journal of Ornamental Plants
Volume:4 Issue: 3, Summer 2014

Experiments were conducted at the Horticulture Research Farm of Horticulture Department, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Salna, Gazipur during December, 2007 to May, 2009 to investigate the effect of bulb cutting and potting media on propagation of hippeastrum. The bulb cutting significantly influenced all the parameters except days required to first leaf emergence and leaf breadth at 60 DAP. Leaf number at 60 DAP, leaf length at 60 and 100 DAP, number of plant per section of bulb and number of bulb per pot were found to be significantly increased upto second treatment and then gradually decreased with the increase
of bulb cutting. The highest number (2.20) of plant per section of bulb, bulblets (2.20) per section of bulb were obtained from 4 sections/bulb while diameter (20.74 mm) of bulb and combined weight (57.65 g) of bulb and plant were maximum at treatment 2 sections/bulb. Potting media also showed significant influence on all studied parameters. The maximum number (2.04) of plant per section of bulb and bulblets (2.04) per section of bulb were revealed at potting media containing only compost while the potting media
contained sand, soil and compost at equal amount produced the biggest size of bulblets (20.07 mm) and maximum weight (44.75 g) of bulb and plant combinedly. However, the combined effect of T2 x P3 produced the maximum number (2.60) of plant and bulblets per section of bulb while the biggest size (23.05 mm) of bulblets and the highest yield (68.66 g) of bulb and plants were obtained in T1 x P4.

In order to investigate the effect of growth media and nutrition method on the growth of Bellis perennis L. and nutrients uptake, a factorial experiment was conducted with two factors: growth media (municipal waste compost, Azolla compost, tea wastes compost) and nutrition method (without fertilizer, soil application, foliar spray) in comparison to the
control medium (60% soil 20% manure 10% composted leaves 10% sand) based on RCD with 45 treatment and three replications. Plant growth indices during growth and after plant harvest were measured. The total nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and manganese were measured in the shoot of plant. The results showed that the height of plant increased in medium "control, municipal waste compost, Azolla" through foliar spray and soil application of fertilizer. The growth medium "control, municipal compost and Azolla" increased plant height, shoot dry weight and flower number and uptake of nitrogen, potassium, zinc, calcium, iron and magnesium in plant shoot.

Effects of Fe and Trichoderma harzianum Bi strain on plant growth and development of Spathiphyllum were investigated. Experiments were carried out in an glasshouse and in pots filled with soil, perlite and coco peat (1:1:1) were used as the growing medium. Plant roots (seedlings with three leaves) were inoculated with Trichoderma (0 and 8% w/w) as media mixture. Fe spray (0, 0.75, 1.5, 3 g/L), was applied 3 times on a month interval after Trichoderma inoculation. Factorial experiment was conducted in a completely
randomized design with 3 replications. After six months, the plants were sampled for growth comparisons. Based on results Trichoderma improved morphological characteristics (P≤0.01). There were differences between the untreated control and the treatments for all of the growth parameters with the exception of spathe area and number of flowers. Fe spray and intraction between Trichoderma and Fe significantly increased all morphological growth parameters with the exception of spathe area, leaf area and number of flowers. By applying Terichoderma sucker number (400%), leaf number (586%), sucker fresh weight (386 %) and sucker dry weight (583%) significantly increased compared with control. The data obtained from the experiment showed the potential of Trichoderma and Fe spray to enhance growth and development of Spathiphyllum sp. in greenhouse conditions.

In order to study the effect of water deficit stress and different nitrogen levels on flower yield, yield components and water use efficiency of Calendula officinalis L., an experiment was conducted as split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications, at research field of Islamic Azad University, Birjand branch in 2009. In this experiment, irrigation treatments (irrigation after 60, 120 and 180 mm cumulative evaporation from pan class A) set as main plots and nitrogen rates (0, 60,120 and 180 kg N ha-1) set as sub plots. The results showed that increasing irrigation interval from 60 to 180 mm cumulative evaporation reduced flower number per m-2, biomass yield and plant height 65.6, 69.3 and 8.3%, respectively. Also in comparison with control, irrigation after 120 and 180 mm evaporation reduced flower dry yield 16.2 and 72%, respectively. However, the highest WUE was related to irrigation after 120 mm evaporation (0.161 and 0.788 kg m-3 for dry flower and biomass, respectively). Nitrogen fertilizer utilization significantly increased flower yield, flower number, biological yield, WUE and plant height, but there was not any significant difference between 120 and 180 kg N ha-1 treatments. Interaction of irrigation and nitrogen on all traits was not significant. Totally, the results indicated that treatment of irrigation after 120 mm evaporation with 120 kg N ha-1 application is suitable for marigold cultivation in Birjand.

In this research, the effects of thidiazuron pulse treatment and salicylic acid were examined to improve vase life and maintain the quality of Alstroemeria ҅Modena҆ cut flowers. The experiment was done in a factorial experiment based on RCD with 16 treatments, 3 replications and 48 plots. The flowers were placed in different concentrations of thidiazuron (0, 10, 20, and 50 μM) and salicylic acid (0, 100, 200, and 300 mg l-1) for 24 hours. Then cut flowers were put in a preservative solution containing 3% sucrose and 300 mg l-1 8-HQS. Then, vase life and quality traits such as fresh weight, dry weight, water uptake, amount of soluble solids (˚brix) and cell membrane stability (electrolyte leakage) were evaluated during examination. The results showed that the concentration of 200 mg l-1 salicylic acid, has the highest water uptake and lowest reduction of fresh weight in comparison with the other treatments. In all treatments except for the control, dry weight and soluble solids increased. Also, 20 μM thidiazuron and 100 mg l-1 salicylic acid showed the greatest stability of the cell membrane compared to the control treatment. Finally, 20
μM thidiazuron and 200 mg l-1 salicylic acid with the highest vase life of cut alstroemeria ҅Modena҆ compared to the other treatments is recommended to extend the vase life.

The present study has assessed the effect of Cola in increasing flower longevity of flower and delaying aging of cut Alstroemeria ‘Balance’. Distilled water was used as control. Traits of flower diameter, solution absorption ,anthocyanins, total soluble solids and chlorophyll were measured at 3 times and vase life was measured daily. Based on the results, flower diameter, anthocyanins and chlorophyll were significant at 1% level and solution absorption was significant at 5% level. The highest flower longevity was related to concentration 500 ml L-1 Cola with 16 days, while the control was 9 days. The highest
solution absorption rate belonged to 250 ml L-1 treatment of Cola. Cola concentration
of 375 ml L-1 had the greatest flower diameter and chlorophyll. According to the results of means comparison, amount of anthocyanin in different concentrations of Cola was the same. In general, Cola delayed aging Alstroemeria flowers due to having compounds such as citric acid, phosphoric acid, sugar, sodium benzoate, etc., and by providing flowers with required carbohydrates and antimicrobial effect.

Koelreuteria elegans, popularly known as “Flame Gold” is an ornamental tree. In vitro callus induction and regeneration from various explants (eaf segments and cotyledonary leaf) were studied on modified MS medium. The highest callus induction rate (80%) and multiplication was obtained in 2 mg/l 2,4-D from leaf segments. Calli transferred in 1.5 mg/l BAP resulted in efficient shoot regeneration (70%) and development (4.35 shoots). MS half strength medium supplemented with 0.2 mg/l NAA reported 80% rooting after
21 days of implantation. Mostly, the roots were long and healthy. Plants were successfully transferred in sterilized mixture of vermiculite: soil: sand (3:1:1) with 65% survival rate under field conditions. The in vitro regenerated plantlets were hardened and acclimatized successfully.

The influence of explant nodal positions on the in vitro shoot growth and proliferation were studied in the two rose cvs. ‘Bianca’ and ‘El Torro’. Third, fourth and fifth nodal explants were cultured on the modified MS medium supplemented with 1.0 and 5.0 mg/l BA. In both the cultivars, higher rate of proliferation (‘Bianca’ 3.75; ‘El Torro’ 2.65) were obtained from the explants distal to the apex than those of the proximal position with 5.0 mg/l BA. But proliferating shoots derived from the fifth nodal explant with 1.0 mg/l attained highest shoot length (‘Bianca’ 1.43 cm; ‘El Torro’ 1.19 cm) and produced higher
number of leaves (‘Bianca’ 5.45; ‘El Torro’ 6.30) and fresh weight (‘Bianca’
659.38 mg; ‘El Torro’ 255.95 mg) per explant than the third and fourth nodal explants. The fifth nodal explant with 1.0 mg/l BA was found the best treatment for the shoot regeneration of rose cvs. ‘Bianca’ and ‘El Torro’.