Influence of sulphur on growth, yield, and quality of celosia

Abstract

A greenhouse experiment was conducted at the University of lbadan, Nigeria to determine the optimum sulphur (S) rate for Celosia (Celosia argentia L. CV. TLV 8) production under hydroponic growing conditions. Average temperature and light intensity in the greenhouse was 27.7°C and 1.32 x 10³ μEinstein M‐2 S‐1 (PAR), respectively. Five rates of S(0, 13.5, 27, 40.5, and 54 ug g⁻¹ of sand) in a series of nutrient solutions were imposed in a completely randomized design. Application of S significantly increased leaf number, plant height, leaf area, weights of leaf, stem, root, and raised contents of leaf sulphate (SO₄)‐S, chlorophyll, vitamins A and C, and crude protein. The optimum S rate for leaf formation, plant height at harvest (seven weeks after transplanting‐WAT), shoot production, SO₄‐S, vitamin A, and crude protein synthesis was 40.5 μg S g⁻¹ of sand in the applied nutrient solution, while that for maximum leaf production, chlorophyll, and vitamin C synthesis was 54 ug S g⁻¹ of sand. These results indicate that S nutrition is necessary for the optimum growth, yield, and yield attributes of Celosia.

Notes

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