Plant Growth Regulators
Somaye Amini; Seyed Mahdi Ziaratnia
Abstract
Purpose: Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a valuable medicinal plant with a short flowering period. Its flowering management can be useful for the production of saffron in a farm or controlled condition. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of plant growth regulators (PGRs) on saffron ...
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Purpose: Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a valuable medicinal plant with a short flowering period. Its flowering management can be useful for the production of saffron in a farm or controlled condition. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of plant growth regulators (PGRs) on saffron corms sprouting. Research method: For this purpose, corms were treated with different PGRs including α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) (0, 100, 200, 300 ppm), chlorocholine chloride (CCC) (0, 100, 200, 300 ppm) and gibberellic acid (GA3) (0, 5, 10, 20 ppm) for two hours and incubated at 20-22 °C for eight weeks. Findings: The results revealed that the effect of PGRs on corms sprouting was significant. It has been shown that treatment of corms with auxin at all concentrations reduced sprouting compared to the control. To prolong dormancy for five weeks, NAA at 200 mg L-1 was the best choice. While for the fifth week onwards, the most effective treatment was NAA at 100 ppm. Treatment with GA3 (20 ppm) has shown a stimulatory effect on corm sprouting. Research limitations: No limitations were founded. Originality/Value: Sprouting acceleration can keep flowering away from early autumn frosting in farm conditions, while prolongation of corms dormancy provides the possibility of harvesting saffron flowers in several times in a hydroponic system. The results of this study suggested two kinds of chemical for different purposes, inhibition and stimulation of sprouting of saffron corms that can be applicable for saffron hydroponic or farm production, respectively.
Plant Growth Regulators
Andreas Kleiber; Margaret Sedgley; Nancy Bagnato; Farid Moradinezhad
Abstract
Purpose: The study of effects of 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on ripening of bananas is still an important issue for commercial application of 1-MCP on bananas. Research Method: Mature green bananas were treated with ethylene only (100 µL L-1 for two consecutive days) and ethylene the same treatment ...
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Purpose: The study of effects of 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on ripening of bananas is still an important issue for commercial application of 1-MCP on bananas. Research Method: Mature green bananas were treated with ethylene only (100 µL L-1 for two consecutive days) and ethylene the same treatment followed by 1-MCP (300 nL L-1) for 24 h to evaluate the ethylene and 1-MCP effects on ethylene biosynthesis enzyme activities. Ethylene production of whole banana fruit, ACC synthase (ACS) and ACC oxidase (ACO) activities in the pulp and peel of samples were measured. Findings: The result showed that ethylene production rate by the control fruit was significantly greater than the ethylene production rate by the 1-MCP-treated fruit at days 4, 8 and 10. However, changes in ethylene production were similar in both control and 1-MCP-treated bananas. The banana peel and pulp show different patterns of ethylene production during ripening. At the onset of ripening pulp tissues showed higher levels of ACS, and lower levels of ACO activity than peel. Assays of ACO and ACS activities in ethylene-treated fruit showed that the peel had higher levels of ACO activity than the pulp. The ACO and ethylene production were inhibited by 1-MCP treatment whereas ACS increased following 1-MCP application. Research limitations: Evaluation of ACS and ACO activities during different seasons. Originality/value: Pulp and the peel of bananas respond differently to ethylene and 1-MCP treatment with a greater impact on peel than the pulp. The findings of this study allow 1-MCP to be used in a more commercially reliable manner.
