Gibberellic Acid Can Improve Seed Germination and Ornamental Quality of Selected <i>Cyclamen</i> Species Grown Under Short and Long Days
2020
Mihaiela Cornea-Cipcigan | Doru Pamfil | Cristian Radu Sisea | Rodica Mărgăoan
<i>Cyclamen</i> species (swinebread spp.) are perennial herbaceous plants which belong to the <i>Primulaceae</i> family, widely used as medicinal or ornamental plants. Currently, gibberellic acid (GA<sub>3</sub>), an environmentally friendly bioregulator is widely used to enhance the productivity and phenotypic characteristics of multiple ornamental crops. A dual experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of gibberellic acid (50, 100 or 150 mg/L), on germination earliness of seeds, along with growth and ornamental quality of selected <i>Cyclamen</i> species. Additionally, a greenhouse experiment with long and short sunlight photoperiod was conducted to evaluate its importance in the development of <i>Cyclamen</i> plants. Our results indicated that under short sunlight exposure, seeds germinated earlier than those kept in long sunlight photoperiod. Plants treated with foliar applications of GA<sub>3</sub> exhibited higher plant height, leaf area, number of leaves, root length and tuber development. Significant differences were found in germination percentage (GP), mean germination time (MGT) and seedling vigor index (SVI), within different GA<sub>3</sub> supplementation and greenhouse sunlight intensity (short and long days). In conclusion, our study suggests that seedling vigor and ornamental quality can be increased by GA<sub>3</sub> application, an economic strategy for enhancing germination and growth of selected <i>Cyclamen</i> species.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by Directory of Open Access Journals