Effect of plant growth regulators and methods of application on the growth and yield of waterleaf (Talinum triangulare (jacq.) (jacq.))

Abstract

Screen house trial was conducted to study the effect of plant growth hormones and methods of application on the growth and yield of waterleaf. The treatments consisted of three growth regulators (salicylic acid at the rate of 0.4g/L, coconut water at the rate of 100ml, and brassinolide at the rate of 0.1mg/L) with distilled water as control, and two methods of application of growth regulators viz; soaking and spraying, laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with six replicates. Healthy juvenile stem cuttings of uniform length (10cm) were obtained and growth hormones were applied using the quick dip method for soaking and hand sprayer for spraying in accordance with the treatments. Number of days to first foliage sprout, number of leaves per plant, leaf area, plant height, stem diameter, number of branches, number of days to flowering, shoot and root green biomass were studied at 7days interval. Results indicated that growth hormones significantly (p< 0.05) influenced plant height, number of leaves, days to first sprout, number of branches, absolute growth rate, fresh shoot and root weight. The fresh biomass yield of waterleaf was significantly increased by growth hormones. Salicylic acid recorded 41% and 44%, Coconut water, 27% and 25%, and Brassinolides 23% and 27% in the first and second trials respectively, relative to the control. Methods of application of the growth regulators did not significantly influenced growth of waterleaf implying that both soaking and spraying of salicylic acid, coconut water and brassinolides to stem cuttings could be adopted for improved growth and yield performances of waterleaf.