Effects of different nitrogen fertilizer levels and hormone benzyl adenine (BA) on growth and ramet production of Aloe vera L

Aloe vera L. is one of the most important medicinal plants in the world mostly cultivated due to its economic and medicinal value. In order to study the effects of different levels of nitrogen fertilizer and benzyl adenine hormone (BA) on growth and ramet production of Aloe vera L. a factorial experiment was carried out based on a complete randomized blocks design with four replications in an experimental greenhouse of Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University. Treatments included four levels of nitrogen fertilizer (N1: control, N2: 500, N3: 1000, and N4: 1500 mg per pot) and four levels of benzyl adenine (BA) (BA1: Control, BA2: 500, BA3: 1000, BA4: 1500 mg/L). At the end of the experiment period, plant height, stem diameter, number of ramets, number of leaf ramet, ramet weight, ramet height and total biomass were measured. The results showed that application of 1000 mg nitrogen and 1000 mg/L benzyl adenine had the most effect on the growth factors. Also, application of 1500 mg nitrogen and 1500 mg/L benzyl adenine had the highest effect on ramet characteristics. However, ramet number increased with increment of BA concentration and the highest ramet number was obtained on 1500 mg BA spray treatment without nitrogen application. According to the results, simultaneous application of 1000 and 1500 mg nitrogen and 1000 and 1500 mg\L benzyl adenine had the most influence on the measured factors.