Malays. Appl. Biol. (2005) 34(2): 1–5
THE EFFECTS OF PACLOBUTRAZOL AND FLURPRIMIDOL ON THE GROWTH AND FLOWERING OF CURCUMA ROSCOEANA AND CURCUMA ALISMATIFOLIA
THOHIRAH, L.A.*, RAMLAN, M.F. and KAMALAKSHI, N.
Department of Crop Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
ABSTRACT
The efficacy of paclobutrazol and flurprimidol to reduce two Curcuma species heights, which render them suitable as flowering potted plant were investigated. Experiment with Curcuma roscoeana was conducted, applying 200ml of paclobutrazol and flurprimidol as a drench at 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40mg/l to pot-grown seedlings of 4 weeks old Curcuma roscoeana. The results obtained suggested that both paclobutrazol and flurprimidol could be used to control the growth of Curcuma roscoeana and improve its commercial quality. Drench applications of 20mg/l of paclobutrazol or 10mg/ l of flurprimidol reduced the plant heights and flower stalks length, slightly darkens the leaves and produced flowers slightly earlier. Experiment with Curcuma alismatifolia was conducted, by dipping the rhizomes into 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100mg/l of paclobutrazol and flurprimidol. Rhizome dip with 40mg/l of paclobutrazol or flurprimidol produced commercially acceptable pot grown Curcuma alismatifolia. These concentrations reduced the plant heights and flower stalks lengths, produced flowers earlier, increased leaf production rates, chlorophyll contents and the photosynthesis rates.
ABSTRAK
Keupayaan paclobutrazol dan flurprimidol dalam merencatkan ketinggian dua spesies Curcuma yang menyebabkannya sesuai sebagai tanaman pasu berbunga telah dikaji. Eksperimen dengan Curcuma roscoeana telah dijalankan dengan mengaplikasikan 200ml paclobutrazol dan flurprimidol sebagai siraman tanah pada kepekatan 0, 10, 20, 30 dan 40mg/l, pada anak benih Curcuma roscoeana, berusia 4 minggu yang telah ditanam dalam pasu. Keputusan yang didapati mencadangkan kedua-dua paclobutrazol dan flurprimidol boleh digunakan dalam mengawal pertumbuhan Curcuma roscoeana dan meningkatkan kualiti komersialnya. Siraman tanah pada kepekatan 20mg/l paclobutrazol atau 10mg/l flurprimidol telah merencatkan ketinggian tanaman dan batang bunga, menghijaukan daun dan menghasilkan bunga pada kadar yang lebih awal. Eksperimen dengan Curcuma alismatifolia telah dijalankan dengan merendamkan rizom Curcuma alismatifolia ke dalam larutan paclobutrazol dan flurprimidol pada kepekatan 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 dan 100mg/l. Rendaman rizom pada kepekatan 40mg/l bagi kedua-dua larutan paclobutrazol dan flurprimidol menghasilkan tanaman berpasu Curcuma alismatifolia yang boleh dikomersialkan. Kepekatan ini merencatkan ketinggian tanaman dan batang bunga, menghasilkan bunga lebih awal, meningkatkan pengeluaran daun, kandungan klorofil dan kadar fotosintesis.
Key words: Paclobutrazol, flurprimidol, Curcuma, growth, flowering
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