Biomass accumulation in an ornamental Cactaceae (Mammillaria elongata subsp. echinaria) in response to a single 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) spray

Authors

  • Jorge Lozano-Miglioli
  • Ernesto Giardina
  • Adalberto Di Benedetto

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56890/jpacd.v21i.5

Abstract

In ornamental plants growing in pots, root restriction would be presumably related to an endogenous long-distance cytokinin signal from roots. In this context, it has been recently indicated that, in potted ornamental plants, a single 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) spray can be used to increase biomass accumulation. Although cytokinin sprays and cytokinin-containing substances have been previously used to improve growth in cacti, the physiological mechanism involved has not been elucidated. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate the effect of a single BAP spray on the growth of the vegetative axillary stems of the cactus Mammillaria elongata subsp. echinaria. To achieve this general objective, M. elongata subsp. echinaria plants were sprayed with 0, 5, 50, 100 or 200 mg L-1 BAP solutions (40 plants per treatment) and grown for 210 days under greenhouse conditions. The results showed that a single BAP spray increased both fresh and dry weights, photosynthetic stem area, root length and a number of axillary stems at 90 days after the beginning of the experiment. The higher biomass accumulation was related to a higher rate of stem area expansion (RSAE), relative growth rate (RGR), net assimilation rate (NAR) and partitioning of photoassimilates into stems. This results indicate that M. elongata subsp. echinaria biomass accumulation can be increased by a single BAP spray of 5 mg L-1, although the highest response was found with a 200 mg L-1 BAP spray.

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Published

20-06-2019

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Section

Scientific Papers