This study was carried out in the nursery of the Ornamental Plant Research Department, Horticulture Research Institute, Giza, Egypt during the period from February to November of the two successive seasons of 2009 and 2010. A factorial experiment, in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), with three replicates, was conducted, to investigate the effects of different watering regimes (irrigation with 300, 450 and 600 cm 3 /pot/week) comprising the main plot and potting media (peat moss, water hyacinth compost, rice hulls compost, date palm leaf compost and a mixture of the four components at equal volume parts) representing the sub-plots on Ficus nitida "Hawaii" plants grown in 25 cm dia. plastic pots. Results show that performance of plants grown in the mixed compost and watered with 450 cm 3 /pot/week was the best in all characters studied, followed by plants grown in the same medium and watered with either 600 cm 3 /pot/week (in the second position) or with 300 cm 3 /pot/week (in the third one). Performance of plants grown in rice hulls compost and watered with 450 cm 3 /pot/week came in the fourth rank, followed by those grown in peat moss and watered either with 450 or 600 cm 3 /pot/week, occupying the fifth position in this concern. In contrast, plants grown in date palm leaf compost and watered with 300 cm 3 /pot/week scored the lowest records in almost all parameters studied, preceded by those grown in the same medium and watered either with 450 or 600 cm 3 /pot/week.

No abstract

during 2007 and 2008 years. It was intended to find out the most suitable treatments for propagation of Gerbera jamesonii Bolus cv Aurantiaca by using the tissue culture technique. So, the study was done using explants from juvenile leaves and seeds of the plant. The results emphasized that using 30% Clorox for 15 min and 30% Clorox for 10-20 min, respectively for sterilization of explants gave the best result of (100%) survival and free of contamination of leaf and seeds explants. BA at 0.5 mg/l and 1.0 or 2.0 mg/l NAA were the best concentrations for callus formation from leaves. Furthermore, the use of BA on plantlet formation of seeds was not significant when BA was used at either 0.0 or 0.5 mg/l with the different concentrations of NAA and 1.0 mg/l BA plus either 2.0 or 4.0 mg/l NAA. Leaves explant was better than seeds for number of shoots when cultured on the multiplication medium. MS medium plus 1.0 mg/l Kin and 0.5 mg/l NAA was mor the most appropriate for shoot formation from leafs callus. MS medium plus 2.0 mg/l Kin was favoured for number of shoot from seeds. The shoots of Gerbera jamesonii Bolus cv Aurantiaca were successfully rooted when cultured in MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/l IBA. Plantlets after root development exhibited 100% survival in plastic pots filled with peat moss and sand at a ratio of 1:1, 2:1 and 3:1 (by volume).

No abstract

No abstract