EFFECT OF SOME GROWTH REGULATORS ON MAJORANA HORTENSIS MOENCH. PLANT

Abstract

prof. Dr.• • Gamal El-Din Fahmy Ahm:ed, Dr., Mohamed S.Hanafy and prof. Dr. Sabry EI-Naggar. Ornamental Horticulture. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. Approval: 9/9/2002.

In a field trial, the effect ofbenzyladenine (BA)at 20 or 40 ppm, indole butyric acid (IBA) at 20 or 40 ppm and mepiquat chloride (pix) at 100 or 200 ppm and their combinations, were studied on Majorana hortensis Moench. plant. The results revealed that application of BA or IBA at 20 or 40 ppm as foliar spray increased plant height, fresh and dry weight of herb per plant and herb yield per feddan. The efficiency of BA was greater at 20 ppm. While IBA was more effective at 40 ppm. Using pix led to an increase in number of branches I plant and dry weight per plant and herb yield per feddan. Application of pix at 100 or 200 ppm combined with BA or IBA at 20 or 40 ppm increased plant height, number of branches I plant as well as fresh and dry weight per plant and the yield per feddan. Application of IBA at 40 ppm resulted in the highest total fresh yield in the first and second seasons per plant and per feddan. The greatest oil yield was obtained by using pix at 200 ppm or IBA at 40 ppm. Oil percentage, oil yield per plant and per feddan, nitrogen percentage, phosphorus, potassim, content, chlorophyll a and total chloropylls contents were increased, in most cases, by the single and combined treatments. GLC analysis showed that terpinene - 4-ol and linalool were the major constituents of the oil in all treatments except the plants treated with pix 100 ppm+ IBA at 40 ppm that contained linalool as a minor component. As a general trend, y- terpinene exhibited increased due to most growth regulators treatments and reached its highest value by the application of pix at 200 ppm + IBA at 40 ppm compared to the control.