Maintenance of compact growth form suitable for pot culture in foliage plants using growth retardants

S. Sarada, S. Simi, P.K. Sudhadevi
Effect of growth retardants viz., paclobutrazol and ancymidol, in maintaining compact growth form for pot culture of three ornamental foliage plants viz., Schefflera variegata, Aglaonema pseudobracteata and Syngonium podophyllum were studied under the All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Floriculture Improvement in the College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara, Thrissur. The objective of the study was to develop a package for production of quality foliage plants in pots by manipulating the shape, size and form of ornamental foliage plants using growth retardants. Drenching of growth retardants paclobutrazol and ancymidol was done eight times at intervals of 1½ months. Observations on the morphological characters were recorded one month after eighth application of growth retardants. In Aglaonema pseudobracteata, reduction in plant height, leaf length, plant spread in the east-west direction and petiole length was maximum in the treatment ancymidol 0.25 mg drenching pot-1, which was on par with paclobutrazol 0.125 mg drenching pot-1. In Schefflera variegata, paclobutrazol 0.125 mg drenching pot-1 recorded maximum reduction in plant height, leaf length and petiole length and highest petiole width. ancymidol 0.25 mg drenching pot-1 recorded the highest number of leaves and maximum reduction in leaf length and plant spread in the east-west direction. In Syngonium podophyllum, reduction in plant height, leaf length, plant spread in the east-west direction and petiole length was maximum in ancymidol 0.25 mg drenching pot-1. Maximum reduction in plant height and plant spread in the north-south direction and highest number of leaves was recorded in paclobutrazol 0.125 mg drenching pot-1.
Sarada, S., Simi, S. and Sudhadevi, P.K. (2017). Maintenance of compact growth form suitable for pot culture in foliage plants using growth retardants. Acta Hortic. 1165, 91-96
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2017.1165.14
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2017.1165.14
aglaonema, schefflera, syngonium, paclobutrazol, ancymidol
English