Author(s):

Kapadiya DB, Alka Singh, Bhandari AJ and Ahlawat TR

Abstract: The investigation aimed to study the effect of plant growth enhancing substances on plant canopy, vegetative growth and flowering as well as on overall appearance of Euphorbia milii plants grown in pot during 2015 – 2017. Application of silicon, spermine and salicylic acid at different concentrations significantly influenced the growth, flowering, pigments as well as overall appearance of Euphorbia milii plants during both the seasons as compared to untreated plants (control). Plants treated with 300 mg/l silicon and 3.0 mg/l salicylic acid showed maximum plant height, plant spread, number of branches with thicker stems and maximum number of leaves with increased leaf area during experiment. Early flower bud initiation (19.35 & 20.46 days) and flower opening (7.60 & 7.85 days) of Euphorbia flowers was observed with application of spermine at 30 mg/l. Maximum number of inflorescence per plant with increased inflorescence diameter, flowers per inflorescence with improved flower size were obtained from plants treated with 3.0 mg/l salicylic acid as recorded at 30, 60 and 90 DAS. Improved flowering period (161.89 and 150.90 days), delayed senescence and maximum in situ flower longevity (20.08 and 17.69 days) was observed in Euphorbia plants sprayed with spermine at 30 mg/l as compared to untreated plants. Maximum chlorophyll content (26.21 mg/l) in leaves was observed with application of silicon at 300 mg/l concentration. However, Maximum anthocyanin content (2.20 mg/l) in petal tissue was recorded with application of salicylic acid at 3.0 mg/l which was followed by silicon at 400 mg/l concentration. The highest overall appearance as pot plant (5) on visual basis was noted in Euphorbia plants sprayed with salicylic acid at 3.0 mg/l which was followed by salicylic acid at 2.0 mg/l and silicon at 400 and 300 mg/l as compared to untreated plants.

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