Shahed University

Effects of silica nanoparticles and calcium chelate on the morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics of gerbera ( -Gerbera jamesonii- L.) under hydroponic condition

Tahereh Tofighi Alikhani | Ali Mohammadi Torkashvand | Ahmad Khalighi | Daryush Talei | Seyed Jalal Tabatabaei
URL :   http://research.shahed.ac.ir/WSR/WebPages/Report/PaperView.aspx?PaperID=148216
Date :  2021/01/08
Publish in :    Journal of Plant Nutrition
DOI :  https://doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2020.1867578
Link :  http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2020.1867578
Keywords :flower color; flower longevity; flowering rate; stem lignin

Abstract :
A factorial experiment, in the form of completely randomized design with two factors, was conducted in four replicates to investigate the effects of silica nanoparticles (nanoparticle-SiO2) and calcium chelate (Ca-chelate) on gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii L.). The first factor was nanoparticle-SiO2 concentration in nutrient solution (at four levels of 0, 20, 40 and 80mg L1) and the second factor was Ca-chelate concentration in nutrient solution (at four levels of 0, 60, 120 and 240mg L1). Number of leaves, number of flowers, number of flower buds and aborted flower buds, time of flowering, flower vase life, flower color, percentages of ash and lignin in stem, petal protein, as well as the amounts of silica and calcium in stem, leaf and root were measured. Compared to control, the treatment of 80mg L1 of nanoparticle- SiO2 with 60mg L1 of Ca-chelate increased the number of flowers by 182. Moreover, applying 60mg L1 of Ca-chelate and 20mg L1 of nanoparticle- SiO2 led to flowers with 1.5 times higher longevity and 27 increase in flowering rate. The highest flower bud numbers and the lowest bud abortion were obtained in the treatment with 80mg L1 of nanoparticle-SiO2 and 60mg L1 of Ca-chelate. The highest concentration of calcium in stem, leaf and root as well as the highest amount of protein, pigment intensity and degree of transparency were observed in the treatment with 240mg L1 of Ca-chelate and 80mg L1 of nanoparticle-SiO2.


Files in this item :
Download Name : 148216_16467686896.pdf
Size : 2Mb
Format : PDF