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The effect of foliar application of silicon and calcium compounds on growth indices, plant pigments and flowering period of Zinnia elegans L.
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Reza Eidian   , Elham Danaee * |
| Garmsar Branch, Islamic Azad University |
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Abstract: (22 Views) |
Zinnia is highly valued due to its diverse shapes, colors, and long flowering period, and nutrition is a significant factor in enhancing the quality of this plant. Silicon is a beneficial element that plays a crucial role in building tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, and calcium is also a macronutrient and an important component of cell walls. Due to the various functions of these elements in plant metabolism, they have a positive role in increasing the quality of ornamental plants. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of foliar application of different silicon and calcium compounds on the growth and flowering of Zinnia elegans L. variety Dreamland Rose, in a completely randomized design with three replications in a commercial greenhouse located in Karaj. The treatments included nano-chelated silicon and nano-chelated calcium (0, 1.5, and 3 per 1000) and calcium silicate (0, 150, and 300 mg l-1). Two weeks after the complete establishment of seedlings in pots, the plants were foliar sprayed three times every 5 days. Sampling and evaluation of traits were performed about two weeks after the last foliar application and at the time of flowering, and finally, sampling was performed at the full flowering stage. The results showed that the treatments had a significant effect on the evaluated traits. The highest fresh and dry weight of flowers (2.28 - 0.75 g), cell membrane stability index (88.43%), flower diameter (9.75 cm), petal carotenoid content (0.94 mg g-1 fresh weight), total leaf chlorophyll (3.11 mg g-1 fresh weight), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase enzyme activity (7.64 µg of cinnamate produced g-1 fresh weight per minute) were observed in the calcium silicate treatment at 300 mg l-1. The highest stem diameter (4.47 cm) and leaf silicon content (4.73 mg g-1 dry weight) were obtained in the nano-chelated silicon treatment at 3 per 1000. The highest number of flowers in plant (10.23), number of leaves in plant (27.63), and leaf calcium content (21.13 mg g-1 dry weight) were observed in the nano-chelated calcium treatment at 3 per 1000, while the lowest values for these traits were observed in the control group. The longest and shortest flowering periods of Zinnia were 109.74 and 101.45 days, and the longest and shortest longevity of Zinnia flowers on the plant were 59.36 and 49.45 days in the calcium silicate treatment at 300 mg l-1and the control treatment, respectively. Therefore, according to the results of this study, foliar application of calcium silicate at 300 mg l-1showed the greatest effect on improving the growth and flowering of Zinnia elegans L.
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| Keywords: Nutrition, Nano-chelate, Shelf life, Zinnia |
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/03/3 | Accepted: 2025/07/19 | Published: 2025/09/18
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