Nanoparticles exhibit unique biological activities and may serve as novel plant growth stimulators. This research consisted of a two-year pot experiment designed to find out if silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) might be used in the cultivation of Oriental lilies. In the first year, we evaluated the effects of various concentrations of AgNPs (0, 25, 50, 100, and 150 ppm) and their application methods (pre-planting bulb soaks, foliar sprays, and substrate drenches) on the growth and flowering of Lilium cv. Mona Lisa. In the second year, we evaluated the effects of soaking the bulbs of cv. Little John in the same concentration of AgNP solution on plant morphological features, leaf content of photosynthetic pigments, basic macronutrients, and complex biomolecules with the use of the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Soaking the bulbs in a nanoparticle solution turned out to be the most effective strategy for growth and flowering promotion. AgNPs stimulated plant growth, as manifested by enhanced accumulation of leaf and bulb biomass and accelerated flowering. Moreover, plants treated with silver nanoparticles showed higher leaf greenness index, formed more flowers, and flowered longer. At 100 ppm AgNPs, the leaves accumulated the highest content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids, and were the richest in potassium, calcium, and sulfur. The FTIR spectra did not show any changes in absorbance intensity and chemical composition in the leaves from AgNP-treated bulbs.
Ornamental plants growing in urban areas are exposed to soil salinity that negatively affects their quality. Identifying species that retain high ornamental value despite salt stress is therefore of high practical importance. Curly kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. sabellica L.) is an attractive plant with leaves of both edible and ornamental character. The aim of the study was to evaluate a response of ornamental curly kale to different concentrations of NaCl. The study material was 'Scarlet' cultivar. The plants were grown in pots in a plastic tunnel. They were irrigated with NaCl solution at the following concentrations: 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 mM mmol ·dm -3 . NaCl treatment resulted in a significant increase in pH and electrical conductivity (EC) of the substrate. Salt stress significantly affected plant growth and number, width and length of leaves, and the effects depended on NaCl concentration. Fifteen days after the salt supply ceased, relative chlorophyll content in leaves (SPAD) decreased due to NaCl treatment in a concentration-dependent manner. Treatments with 200, 400, and 800 mmol·dm -3 NaCl reduced stomatal conductance, and the changes were greater on the 5th day following the stress cessation than on the 15th day. Irrigation with a 200, 400, and 800 mmol·dm -3 NaCl solution negatively affected plant bonitation score. The plants treated with 50 i 100 mmol·dm -3 NaCl were not significantly different visual score from the control plants.
Plant biomass in the form of waste materials and by-products from various industries can be a valuable material for the production of composts and growing media for urban gardening. In this study, pulp and paper mill sludge, fruit-vegetable waste, mushroom spent substrate and rye straw were used to produce compost that was further used as a medium component in container cultivation of tomato. The plants were grown in containers with a capacity of 3 dm3 filled with three types of compost-based growing media supplemented with high peat, fen peat, pine bark and wood fiber. The tomato plants grown in 100% peat substrate served as controls. The plants grown in the compost-enriched media had a higher leaf greening index and percentage of ripe fruit, and exhibited an increased content of total polyphenols and flavonoids, potassium, calcium, magnesium and copper in fruit as compared with the control. The tomatoes grown in a medium consisting of 25% compost, 30% high peat, 15% low peat, 20% pine bark and 10% wood fiber reached the highest fresh fruit weight, total polyphenol content and L-ascorbic acid levels. This study demonstrated that the compost produced from natural materials from various sources was a valuable potting medium supplement with positive effects on tomato yield and nutritional value.
Salinity is one of the most serious environmental problems in cultivation of ornamental plants in urban areas [Wrochna et al., 2010; Cassaniti et al., 2012]. It is well-known that salinity causes stunting, chlorosis and necrosis, leading to a reduction in plant quality [Marschner, 1995]. Salt stress affects all major processes and plant metabolism such as growth, flowering, photosynthesis, respiration, water potential, enzymatic activity, absorption of minerals and nutrient balance [Cassaniti et al., 2013; Parihar et al., 2015]. However, for ornamental plants, visual quality is more important than growth rate [Niu and Cabrera, 2010]. There is a rising demand for landscape plants whose aesthetic values are not or are only slightly affected by salt stress [Niu et al., 2013]. Verbena (Verbena L.) is a genus in the Verbenaceae containing 211 species indigenous to Americas and Europe [Erhardt et al., 2014]. Of all the verbenas, purpletop vervain (V. bonariensis L.) is among the tallest species and particu
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