Physiological Studies On Marigold Plants:

Abd Allah Saleh Mohamed El-kayet

Two experiments were carried out during the two seasons 1984, 1985 at the experimental station of the Faculty of Agriculture at Moshtohor Zapzig University.The experimental design was in complete randomized block system with three replicates.The first experiment aimed studying the effects of two growth regulators namely kinetin and 8-nine (Alar) at diffe-rent concentrations on the growth, flowering and chemical composition of Tagetes patula plants. The second experiment was to study the effects of different fertilization levels on the prementioned characters.The most important results obtained were:-Kinetin at all concentration increased plant height in two seasons while it had no remarkable effects on main number of branches.-All concentrations of kinetin increased fresh and dry weights of root and stems over control. The highest level was more effective in this concern.The yield of flower per plant (number or weight)and weight of petals increased significantly with kinetin treatments except low level.Kinetin raised carbohydrate content in plant leaves while it did not affect it in plant stems.Phosphorous and potassium percentages in leaves increased with all levels of kinetin used, while N% increased only with kinetin at 75 and 100 ppm. Also N, P and K percentages in plant stems increased with all concentrations of kinetin except low one (25 ppm/which decreased N% as well as 100 ppm which decreased K%.-The oil yield per plant or per feddan increased with kinetin treatments, specially with 50 ppm concentration.-The application of kinetin sprays at concentration of 25, 50 and 100 ppm increases phytofluence percentage while kinetin at 75 ppm decreases phytofluene percentage compared with untreated plant. B-carotene percentage increased by kinetin sprayed at 25, 75 and 100 ppm. The high level (100 ppm) was more effect in this concern. 0K-carotene and c-cryptoxanthin percentage increased by kinetin treatments. While the lutein percentage decreases. Kinetin at 25, 75 and 100 ppm concentrations increase antheraxanthin percentage but 50 ppm level decrease-All concentrations of B-nine decreased plant height except low level (500 ppm) which gave slight increase over control.-B-nine treatments increased number of branches/plant except low level (500 ppm) which gave slight decrease comparedwith control plants.-Fresh and dry weights of plant roots and stems increased with B-nine treatments and the low level was more effective in this respect.B-nine treatments improved flower yield (number or weight) the low levels (500, 1000 ppm) attained significantincreases.-Fresh and dry weights of petals increased with all B-nine treatments, the increase reached the significant level in the first season.-Total carbohydrate percentage nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium content in plant leaves increased by B-nine application except with high level of 3000 ppm which decreased total carbohydrate, nitrogen and potassium percentages.-Total carbohydrate percent in plant stems decreased with B-nine treatments of 1000, 2000 and 3000 ppm while nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium percentages increased by the same treatments.-The application of 0-nine increased oil yield per plant and per feddan with all concentrations, specially 2000 ppm.-B-nine at different concentrationSincrease phytofluene percentage compared with control plants. B-nine had no constant effect on c<-carotene excretion in mean time B-carotene percentage decreased by 0-nine treatments. The application of 0-nine incruacreasedX-cryptoxanthin percentage except 2000 ppm level, while lutein percentage only increased by that level. In general B-nine concen-tration improved antheraxanthin percentage compared withuntreated plant. Nitrogen fertilization treatments seemed to increase vegetative growth of tagetes plant measured as plant height, number of branches and fresh or dry weight of’roots and stems.- Nitrogen also advanced flower yield/plant counted asnumber or weight of flower and fresh or dry weight of petals.With chemical composition of leaves nitrogen fertilizerincreased total carbohydrate and nitrogen percentages,while nitrogen application decreased phosphorous and potassium percentages in plant leaves except low levelwhich increased P.%.-Total carbohydrate content as well as nitrogen, phosphorousand potassium percentages in plant stem increased bynitrogen addition.-In general nitrogen accelerates the oil yield per plant.-Phytofluene percentage increased by nitrogen application at 7.75, 15.50 g/m2 while the highest level of nitrogendecreased phytofluene percent, N1P0K0 and N3P0K0 treat- ments increase cX-carotene but N2P0K0.treatment decreaseit.-Excretion of B-carotene gives positive response for nitrogen treatments. c:>(-cryptoxanthin percentage increasedwith low and medium op nitrogen.-Generally the application of nitrogen increases lutein per-centage, but it decreased antheraxanthin excretion.-Phosphorus fertilizer advanced growth as fresh and dry weights of roots and stems.-It also encouraged flowering since it increased flower yieldyield as number or weight of flowers/plant and also fresh and dry weights of petal per plant.-Phosphorous application also increased total carbohydrate percent as well as nitrogen and phosphorous percent in plant leaves, except low level which decreased nitrogen % while all levels of phosphorous decreased potassium percen-tages in the leaves.- In plant.stem phosp horous addition increased total carbo-hydrate as we11 as phosphorous and potassium percent except low level which decreased total carbohydrate %, but low and high level of phosphorous decreased nitrogenpercentage, while moderate level of phosphorous increased nitrogen %.-The addition of phosphorous increases oil yield per plant and per feddan compared with control plant.-Phosphorous at different levels increases phytofluene percentage specially medium level. The medium and high le level of phosphorous increase 0K-carotene percentage while the lowest level decreases it.-B-carotene content decreased by different levels of phos-phorous,c-cryptoxanthin increased with phosphorous at medium and high levels. The application of phosphorous at all levels enhance lutein accumulation, while anthera:-. xanthin formation only increased with high level of P205.-PotaSsium fertilizer affected,Tagetes growth as it increased branching, fresh and dry weights of roots or stems either it decreased plant height.-Potassium also encouraged Tagotes flowering since it increased number or weight of flowerS and also fresh and dry weights of petals/plant. The moderate level of potassium was .the most effective in this concern.- Potassium fertilizer increased total carbohydrate percen-tage in plant leaves as well as nitrogen and phosphorous content while it decreased potassium percent when used atlow or high rate.-Total carbohydrate percent in plant stems increased withpotassium addition at low and high rates. Also phosphorousand potassium content in stems increased with all levels used. But nitrogen was increased only with the moderatelevel of potassium.- The application of potassium at different levels increaseoil yield. The highest level was more effective on theoil yield.-Phytofluene andpe...-carotene percentages increased bydifferent levels of potassium. The high levels of potassium increased G