| heal.abstract |
Four month old seedlings of Euphorbia characias were cultured for seven months on a peat: perlite 1:1 or 2:1 (by volume) medium, with pH adjusted to 5.7-6.0 and were fertilised with water soluble fertiliser 20N-19P-19K (2 g/l) every week or every two weeks (four treatments resulting from all combinations of two media and two frequencies of fertilisation). The medium 2 peat: 1 perlite, especially combined with fertilisation every two weeks, caused the smallest elongation of the main and lateral shoots and so it gave shorter, robust and more compact plants. The number of lateral shoots sprouted was not affected by the treatments. Eighteen months old pruned plants, were treated with paclobutrazol applied as a foliar spray at 50 and 100 ppm, or as a soil drench at 25 and 50 ppm. One month after the application, the elongation of the shoots was restricted to 47% and 58% or 31% and 24% of the control, respectively, with the extent of restriction remaining almost stable for four months. Two applications of paclobutrazol, with 20 days interval, by the same methods and doses as above, restricted the elongation of seedlings, six months after the second application, to 43% and 40% or 17% and 15% of the control, respectively. In both pruned plants and seedlings paclobutrazol also reduced the leaf length to 75% and 70% or 57% and 45% of the control, respectively to the method and dose of application. The higher doses gave yellow-green leaves, while the lower ones dark green leaves. Pruned plants treated with soil drench of paclobutrazol were quite appealing as foliage pot plants, both with dark green and yellow-green foliage. |
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