Effect of potassium with or without micronutrients on plant growth and alkaloids content in deadly nightshade (Atropa bella-donna L.). Part 1. Plant growth and biomass

摘要

This study was carried out at Department of Horticulture and Landscape Gardening in Baghdad Iraq during the growing season 2008-2009 to investigate the effect of foliar application of potassium on deadly nightshade (Atropa bella-donna L.) at a rate of 0, 1000 or 2000 mg L~(-1) as potassium sulfate with or without one of the micronutrients boron (0, 1.0 or 2.0 mg L~(-1)) as boric acid, cobalt (0, 0.5 or 1.0 mg L~(-1) ) as cobalt sulfate and manganese (0, 25 or 50 mg L~(-1) as manganese sulfate on growth characters (Part 1) and alkaloids content (Part 2). The experimental results showed that potassium application at 2000 mg L~(-1) significantly increased all growth characters with a maximum length and diameter of main stem of 54.7 and 2.4 cm respectively; tallest plants (163.2 cm); highest number of leaves on main stem (16.1); maximum leaf area per plant (26 434.4 cm~2) and the highest dry biomass of aerial parts (90.652 g) and roots (35.738 g) as compared with the length of main stem (46.9 cm), and its diameter (1.6 cm), height of the plant (147.7 cm), number of leaves on main stem (14.6), leaf area per plant (17666.7cm~2), dry biomass of aerial parts (61.930 g) and roots (31.590 g) plant~(-1) in untreated control plants. Among the studied micronutrients, only manganese at 50 mg L~(-1) significantly increased the height of the plant, leaf area per plant and dry weight of aerial parts. It was suggested that potassium application at 2000 mg L~(-1) with manganese at 25 or 50 mg L~(-1) could give the best results in regard to the length of main stem (55.4 cm), height of the plant (166.0 cm), leaf area (30029 cm~2) and dry weight of aerial parts (98.950 g) and roots (35.860 g).