The affection of chop and Copper fertilization in the growth and flowerage of Antirrhinum. plant.

Abstract

This study was conducted in the lath house belong to the Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture-Basrah University, during the winter season of 2001-2002. The aim was to study the effect of pinching and copper fertilization on growth and flowering of snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus L.) Three types of pinching treatment were used (no pinching, single pinching and double pinching) and copper was applied as hydrated copper sulfate (CuSO4.5H2O) in three levels (0, 2.5 and 5.0 mg Cu/Kg.) Results presented that the main effect of pinching was significant in all vegetative and flowering indicators that studied except copper content in leaves, whereas , the main effect of copper application was significant in plant height, number of shoots and leaves, leaf area, chlorophyll content and copper content in leaves. It also resulted in a significant increase in number of flowers per spike, fresh weight of flower and percentage of flower dry matter. The interaction between the two studied parameters led to a significant increase in plant height, copper content in leaves and number of flower per spike only .