STUDIES ON GROWTH AND FLOWERING OF SOME ORNAMENTAL PLANTS UNDER DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SALINITY AND ORGANIC FERTILIZATION

Abstract

This study was carried out during two successive seasons of 2007-2008 and 2009-2010. Trials took place in the Experimental Farm of the Vegetables and Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Research Station (HIR), Agricultural Research Center at Giza Governorate, Egypt. This aim of this study was to investigate the effect of saline irrigation water and compost application rates on growth, flowering and chemical composition of Oenotheradrummondii Hook and Verbesinaencelioides (Cav.) plants under sandy soil conditions. In November of both growing seasons seeds of OenotheradrummondiiHook collected from North Manzala Lakeand Verbesinaencelioides(Cav.) collected from Bir El-Abd, North Sinai were sown in 20 cm diameter plastic pots filled with clean and washed sand. After seedling emergence and reached 5-7 cm height, one plant/pot was chosen and the rest were removed. Three rates of composti.e 0, 5, and 10m³/fed were mixed with the sandy medium before sowing to study the effect of compost on growth, flowering and chemical composition. All seedlings were irrigated with tap water for 30 days, after that seedlings in each compost treatment were irrigated with saline water at four concentrations of 2500,5000,7500 and 10000 ppm of mixture of sodium chloride and calcium chloride (2:1 w/w) , in addition to the control which was irrigated with tap water.