Inducing early flowering in roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) plants by organic acids

Abstract

The current study was conducted at the Agricultural Research Center farm at the Agricultural Research Station at Gemmayzeh, Gharbia Governorate, Egypt, during the two consecutive summer seasons 2017 and 2018, with the aim of evaluating the effect of Citric acid treatments (2 and3 g/L) and Potassium humate (2and 3g /L) on the early flowering of the hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) plant, the treatments were as follows (T1) control (spray with water) and (T2) Citric acid (2g/L) and (T3) Citric acid (3g/L), (T4)Potassium humate (2g /L), (T5) Potassium humate (3g /L), (T6) Citric acid (2g/L) +Potassium humate (2g/L) and (T7) Citric acid (2 g /L) + Potassium humate (3 g /L) and (T8) Citric acid (3g/L) +Potassium humate (2g /L) and (T9) Citric acid (3g /L) + Potassium humate (3g /L). It was found that the foliar spraying of the two acids, either alone or together, had a positive effect on all growth factors, sepals yield and oil. The interaction treatments were better than the solo treatments and the best of them was the ninth treatment which is Citric acid (3 g/L) + Potassium humate (3g /L), which gave the best results in early flowering and most of the growth and production characteristics of sepals, seeds, oil yield and Vitamin C. Therefore, it is recommended to use a mixture between Citric acid and Potassium humate for early flowering, harvesting and drying before Winter season. Therefore, the main goal of this study to elucidate the effect of foliar spraying with organic acids such as Citric acid and Potassium humate on the early flowering, growth factors, sepals yield and oil of the hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) plant.