EXPLORING BIOSTIMULANT EFFECT OF A BRASSICACEA PLANT EXTRACT: USE OF MAIZE SEEDLING DEVELOPMENT AS REFERENCE BIOASSAY

C.M. Rivera, A. Salerno, P. Sequi, E. Rea, A. Trinchera
This study proposes a bioassay to test the stimulation effect of a liquid Brassicacea (Brassica napus L., var. oleifera) extract on the early stage of plant growth. The test describes the dynamic of maize seedling development in relation to the allocation of resources from seed to shoot and root during the first three days of growth, under controlled conditions. Treatments consist in the application of the tested substance to the root apparatus through a wetted paper bed: in our trial, six solutions with increasing concentrations of the Brassicaceae extract (0, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 mg L-1) were added. Three disruptive samplings were realized after 24, 48 and 72 h, with ten replicates. Samplings involved the separate determination of weight for each seedling fraction (radicle, caryopsis and coleptile). In addition, digitalized images of fresh radicle were analysed, in order to test an alternative, non-disruptive method to measure the radicle biomass progress. As expected, caryopsis reserves decreased over time, while radicle and coleptile biomass increased. Relevant differences were observed among treatments in relation to their biomass allocation. In particular, seedlings grown at 10-100 mg L-1 consumed more slowly the caryopsis reserves, while seedlings grown at 0.1 and 1 mg L-1 gave coleptile and radicle biomass higher than those obtained for the other treatments. We can conclude that biostimulant effect of the tested Brassicaceae extract occurs particularly at a concentration near to 0.1-1 mg L-1. Data arisen from image analysis of radicle apparatus responded discretely in relation to biomass prediction, as attested by R2 and slope of predicted vs. measured biomass regression.
Rivera, C.M., Salerno, A., Sequi, P., Rea, E. and Trinchera, A. (2010). EXPLORING BIOSTIMULANT EFFECT OF A BRASSICACEA PLANT EXTRACT: USE OF MAIZE SEEDLING DEVELOPMENT AS REFERENCE BIOASSAY. Acta Hortic. 884, 737-744
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.884.100
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.884.100
bioassay, seed resource allocation, growth stimulation, image analysis, plant extract
English

Acta Horticulturae