Two pot experiments were carried at the Experimental farm of the Botany Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University,
Qlubia Governorate and Agric- Botany department, Fac. of Agricultural, Assiut, AL- Azhar Univ, Egypt, during two successive
seasons of 2015 and 2016. The aim of this work was to study the effect of foliar application with benzyladenine (BA) at (25,
50 and 100 ppm), paclobutrazol at (5, 10 and 20 ppm), algae extract at (5,10 and 20 ml/l),mineral nutrients (Ca, Mg and Fe
chelated) at 500 ppm and lithovit at 500 ppm on some morphological, physiological and anatomical characteristics of Moringa
oliefera plant at 90 and 180 days after sowing.
The obtained results indicated that the foliar application of benzyl adenine (100 ppm), lithovit (500 ppm), algae extract (20 ml/
l) and mineral elements (Ca, Mg and Fe) at 500 ppm significantly increased all the studied morphological parameters i.e., stem
length and number of leaves and leaf area/plant as well as dry weights of roots, stems and leaves at different ages (90 and 180
days after sowing) during the two growth seasons. On the contrary, these measured morphological characteristics were
significantly decreased with paclobutrazol treatment in both two seasons compared with the control treatment. Also, foliar
application with all used treatments increased physiological characteristics of moringa leaves represented as photosynthetic
pigments content (chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids), antioxidant activity, total phenolic and total flavonoids & flavonols
concentrations compared with the control plants. Results also showed that foliar spray treatments with benzyl adenine (100
ppm) followed by lethovit (500 ppm), algae extract (20 ml/l), paclobutrazol (20 ppm) respectively were the most effective in this
respect.
Results revealed that different anatomical characteristics of moringa leaflets and stems were positively responded in the two
stages of growth.
Add to the obtained data showed that: the most traits of moringa leaflet anatomical characteristics were increased with
different applied treatments, especially with Paclobutrazol (PP333) at 20 mg/L, algae extract at 20 ml/L and lithovit at 500 mg/
L respectively compared with the other control treatment in the two stages. The anatomical characteristics of the leaves were
cleared of i.e; increase thickness of palisat and spongy tissue as well as thickness of leaflet. Also, the increasing of number
and diameter of xylem vessels/ arch led to increase vascular bundle thickness. Moreover the increasing of number and larger
of xylem vessels/ arch and number of vascular bundles led to the thicknesses of midrib at 90 or 180 days after sowing
comparing to control treatment. The results showed that the increasing of stem diameter were the result of i.e; cuticle
thickness, epidermis thickness, cortex thickness, thickness of phloem and xylem tissue, thickness of cambial region, number
of xylem vessels/arch, number of xylem archs/vascular bundle, number & diameter of the vascular bundles and thickness of
pith in the stem at the two stages. Generally, in this study the morphological and physiological characteristics of Moringa
oleifera were recorded the highest values with benzyl adenine (100 ppm). At the same time, the best anatomical characteristics
were foliar application Paclobutrazol (PP333) at 20 mg/L at 90 or 180 days after sowing at the same field condition |
