ABSTRACT:In a trial to improve the growth of two economic ornamental palms i.e. Butia capitata (Mart.) and Livistona decipiens (Becc.) at the early growth stages, an investigation was consummated throughout two successive seasons (2011 and 2012) at the nursery of Horticulture Research Institute, Giza, Egypt to study the effect of bioand chemical fertilization with different rates on growth and chemical constituents of the two ornamental palms. Two years old transplants of both palms were cultured on April, 1 st in both seasons. The biofertilizer of phosphorene with different rates (2, 4 and 6 g/pot), the mixture of N, P and K (1:1:1) used at 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 g/pot and the commercial product of Grow more at 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 ml/l were used in both seasons. All of them were added at monthly interval commencing from May, 1 st to October, 1 st . The results emphasized that all fertilization treatments improved vegetative growth, root parameters and chemical constituent of leaves. However, the effect was differed according to the different treatments used. Applying phosphorene at 6 g/pot and Grow more at 1.5 ml/l gave the utmost high values of vegetative growth parameters of Butia capitata, whereas plants of Livistona decipiens treated with 4 g/pot phosphorene was the best in improving such parameters in the two seasons. Treating plants with either NPK at 3.5 g/pot or Grow more at 0.5 ml/l proved their superiority in raising root length and fresh and dry weight of roots for Butia capitata. Meanwhile, results of Livistona decipiens indicated that treating plants with phosphorene at the lowest rate (2 g/pot) was the best for improving root traits in most cases expressed as number of roots/plant and fresh and dry weights of roots.Chemical constituents of leaves were also affected by the different fertilization treatments. A clear increment in either chlorophyll (a) or carotenoids accumulation in leaves of Butia capitata was observed due to applying the highest rate of phosphorene (6 g/pot) and the lowest one of Grow more (0.5 ml/l). However, using Grow more at 0.5 ml/l gave also the utmost high value of chlorophyll (b) in leaves of the same species. For Livistona decipiens, applying Grow more at the lowest and moderate rates (0.5 and 1.5 ml/l) registered the highest values of chlorophyll (a) accumulation in the leaves. Meanwhile, using the lowest Grow more rate (0.5 ml/l) was the best for raising carotenoids content. Meanwhile, using the highest level of NPK (3.5 g/pot) proved its mastery in elevating chlorophyll (b) in the leaves.As for chemical constituents in leaves concerning Butia capitata, results revealed that using the lowest rate of phosphorene and NPK (2 g/pot and 1.5 g/pot, respectively), as well as the highest one of NPK (3.5 g/pot) beside the moderate and the highest rates of Grow 118 more (1.5 and 2.5 ml/l, respectively) were the best treatments for raising N% in the leaves. Meanwhile, applying the lowest level of either NPK (1.5 g/pot) or Grow more (0.5 ml/l) gave the greatest values of N% in the leaves ...

The present investigation was conducted at the nursery of Hort. Res. Inst., ARC, Giza, Egypt during 2013 and 2014 seasons to study the effect of different pre-sowing seed treatments, viz., untreated seeds (control), soaking in tap water for 24 h at room temperature, soaking in previously boiling water for 24 h at room temperature, boil/cold water dipping (thermal shock treatment), soaking in concentrated H 2 SO 4 for either 2 or 4 min (chemical scarification) and abration testa with rough emery paper (mechanical scarification) on seed germination and seedling growth of Powder Puff (Calliandra haematocephala Hassk.) shrub. The obtained results indicated that most of the used treatments improved germination % and velocity, mean germination rate, germination rate and vigour indices, seed viability and epicotyl length of germinated seeds, as well as seedling growth with various significant differences compared to control in the two seasons, except for thermal shock treatment which completely failed to induce germination. It was also noticed that seed viability markedly decreased as a result of mechanical scarification with emery paper to reach the least values at all. Content of total indoles and phenols in the untreated seeds was stable as they were not subjected to any treatment, but in treated seeds, it was increased where total indoles reached the maximum by soaking in either concentrated H 2 SO 4 or boiling water, while these two treatments caused a nil increment in seed content of total phenols relative to control and other pre-sowing treatments. In addition, content of chlorophyll a, b, carotenoids and total soluble sugars in the leaves of seedlings raised from the treated seeds was greatly increased, especially by chemical and thermal scarification. Generally, the mastery in all previous measurements was for soaking in either concentrated H 2 SO 4 for only 2 min or boiling water for 24 h, as they recorded the utmost high means in the majority of measured traits in both seasons. Hence, it is recommended to treat seeds of Calliandra haematocephala pre-sowing by soaking in either previously boiling water for 24 h. or in concentrated H 2 SO 4 for only 2 min. to obtain the best germination and seedling growth.

An experiment was undertaken in the open field at the nursery of Hort. Res. Inst., ARC, Giza, Egypt during 2013 and 2014 seasons to explore the effect of different water qualities (fresh, mixed (50% fresh + 50% sanitary water) and primary treated sanitary water), various concentrations of jasmine oil (0.0, 0.03 and 0.05%) applied as foliar spray, 3 times with 15 days interval and their interactions on growth and chemical composition of one-year-old seedlings of Australian pine (Casuarina equisetifolia L.) and River Red Gum (Eucalyptus rostrata Schlecht.) cultivated in 16-cm-diameter black polyethylene bags filled with about 3.5 kg of clayey soil.The obtained results have shown that all vegetative and root growth parameters of the used two trees were significantly increased in response to the different sole treatments and interactions used in this study. A similar trend was also obtained concerning the leaf content of chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids, as well as total soluble sugars, N, P and K in the stem, leaves and roots, as they were markedly increased by the various employed treatments. On the other hand, content of Pb and Cd in the stem, leaves and roots was increased as the level of sanitary water increased in irrigation water, but they were gradually decreased with increasing jasmine oil concentration in spray solution. In general, content of these two metals in various plant organs was greatly less than their critical levels that induce toxicity. So, no morpho-or physio-logical disorders appear on the plants of the two studied tree species. However, the prevalence in all previous measurements was for the combining between irrigation with mixed water and spraying with 0.05% jasmine oil solution, as this combination gave the best rate of vegetative and root growth and the highest content of pigments, total soluble sugars, N, P and K in plant tissues accompanied with the least content of Pb and Cd elements.Hence, it could be said that primary treated sanitary water can be used after mixing with fresh water at equal parts in irrigation Casuarina equisetifolia L. and Eucalyptus rostrata Schlecht. plants proved spraying them with 0.05% jasmine oil solution, 3 times with 15 days interval to achieve the best growth and highest quality.

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