Journal of
Medicinal Plants Research

  • Abbreviation: J. Med. Plants Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0875
  • DOI: 10.5897/JMPR
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 3835

Influence of plant growth regulators on growth performance and photosynthetic pigments status of Eruca sativa Mill.

Mohamed H. Al-Whaibi, Manzer H. Siddiqui*, Bandar M. A. Al-Munqadhi, Ahmed M. Sakran, Hayssam M. Ali and Mohammed O. Basalah
Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arab.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 05 January 2012
  •  Published: 16 March 2012

Abstract

Eruca sativa Mill. (rocket) is an important plant that contains health promoting agents. The feasibility of applications of plant growth regulators (kinetin GA3, spermidine and naphthalene acetic acid) was tested for improving performance of rocket plants. Application of plant growth regulators significantly enhanced the plant growth parameters (shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root dry weight and leaf area) and physiological parameters (chlorophyll and b, proline and total soluble carbohydrates). It was, therefore, concluded that plant growth regulators enhanced the photosynthetic pigments, proline and total soluble carbohydrates that may be responsible for the dry matter production and better growth performance of rocket plants.

 

Key words:  Carbohydrates, chlorophyll, medicinal plant, plant growth regulators, proline, rocket.