BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL STUDIES ON Vernonia galamensis NATIVE TO ZIMBABWE AND ITS ANTI-INSECTS PROPERTIES

Abstract

Four successive growth seasons were conducted at two locations for studying the vegetative growth, yield and yield attributes of Vernonia galamensis P. The first two successive growth seasons (1992 & 1993) were carried out at the nursery of Desert Research Center, Cairo for applying suitable agricultural practices and production high quantity of seed. that is enough for field experiments, divided to two main experiments as follows: 1. First experiment : Seeds of Vernonia galamensis P. were introduced from outside, planted in two plots, fertilized with recommended doses of NPK, under natural conditions in May, I5th, 1992, this experiment is for producing a suitable amount of seeds. 2. The second experiment : This experiment was carried out to study the different factors that are responsible for improvement of vegetation growth as well as seed yield and its oil content, divided to four factors as follows: •. A.Pot experiment was carried out to study the suitable soil for seed germination. Seeds were planted in three different types of soil (Mariut Research Station, Wadi-Sudr and Nursery of Plant Genetic Resource, Dept., DRC), germination percentage of V. galamensis was 40, 20 and 60%, respectively.