ISHS Acta Horticulturae 559: V International Symposium on Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climates: Current Trends for Suistainable Technologies
GROWTH AND LEAF COLOUR RESPONSES OF OLEANDER (NERIUM OLEANDER L.) TO PINCHING AND CHLORMEQUAT CHLORIDE TREATMENT |
| Authors: | S. Bañon Arias, J. Antonio, F. Leemhuis, J.A. Fernández Hernández, J. Ochoa Rego, A.G. Benaente-García |
| Keywords: | Plant growth retardant, pot plant, wild species, cycocel |
| Abstract:
An experiment was carried out in an unheated greenhouse to study the effects of pinching (between 5-8 nodes) and pot drench application of Chlormequat chloride [CCC] (25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 mg a.i. per plant) on the growth and foliage colour of native oleander (Nerium oleander L.) in nursery conditions. Pinched plants were significantly shorter than non-pinched plants, while CCC was less effective than pinching in reducing growth. Plants treated with 800 mg CCC were significantly shorter than the control plants. Plants treated with the other doses of CCC did not alter plant height to any statistically significant extent compared to the control. Pinching plants produced an average of 1.91 to 2.07 shoots per plant and non-pinched plants 1 to 1.24, while CCC did not alter this behaviour in pinched or non-pinched plants. Pinched significantly increased root length compared with non-pinching (by 14% in CCC untreated plants). The same parameter was reduced significantly in plants treated with ≥50 mg CCC per pot. Pinched and treatment with ≥100 mg CCC reduced the aerial part dry weight by 18.77% to 23.66% compared with the control. CCC treatment produced plants with a darker, duller colour but no phytotoxicity symptoms, while pinching did not alter foliage colour. The results demonstrate that neither pinching nor CCC treatment at the rates studied is sufficient to substantially improve the ornamental value of potted oleander. | |
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