This investigation was carried out in the Experimental Farm of Sakha Horticulture Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh, during two successive seasons of 2014 and 2015 to investigate the effect of pinching and foliar spray of paclobutrazol (PBZ) at 0, 50, 100 and 150 ppm as well as interaction with them on growth, flowering and chemical composition of Zinnia elegans as pot plant. The obtained results revealed that the pinching increased stem diameter, number of branches and flowers/plant, fresh and dry weights of vegetative parts and flowers/plant, and N, P and K percentages but decreased plant height, leaf area, flower diameter as well as chlorophyll a, b and (a+b) contents. PBZ treatments caused an increase in the stem diameter, number of branches and flowers/plant, chlorophyll a, b and (a+b) as well as P and K percentages, while decreased plant height, fresh and dry weight of vegetative parts and flowers/plant and flower diameter. Concerning the interaction, shortest plant height, the largest number of branches and flowers/plant and the highest amount of chlorophyll content were obtained with pinching and 150 ppm PBZ treatment. It may be concluded that the pinching and treated with PBZ at 100 or 150 ppm gave a good feature for potted Zinnia elegans plants.

No abstract