The effect of chitosan and ascorbic acid foliar spraying on coneflower vegetative and reproductive indices

Foliar spraying of medicinal plants is one of the main techniques to improve their vegetative and reproductive growth. To evaluate the effect of foliage spraying of coneflower using chitosan and ascorbic acid on vegetative and reproductive traits, an experiment was carried out based on complete block design in three replications in filed condition located at Khalil Abad village in Ardebil province. Experimental treatments were foliage spraying of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 g/L of chitosan and ascorbic acid. The first spraying was on 8 July 2018 and repeated twice in one week intervals. Plants were harvested a week after the last spraying and in full flowering stage. The vegetative and physiological traits such as plant height, the longest stem length, leaf, lateral branches and flower number, leaf length and width, stem and capitol diameter, leaf, stem, flower and whole plant dry and fresh weight, and chlorophylle content were measured. No negative effect has been observed resulted from foliar spraying by these natural products. Spraying by chitosan in low concentration improved coneflower morphological traits. Ascorbic acid was only effective on leaf fresh and dry weight and root dry weight. Therefore, spraying with 0.1 g/L of chitosan would be recommendable for coneflower growth improvement in filed conditions.