The Effect of Plant Density on Photosynthesis and Growth Indices of Henna (Lowsonia inermis L.) Ecotypes

پژوهشهای زراعی ایران

Article 7, Volume 16, Issue 1 - Serial Number 49, April 2018, Pages 181-190   

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.22067/gsc.v16i1.61146

Authors

A Pasandi Pour; H Farahbakhsh^*

Shahid Bahonar University

Abstract

Introduction
One of the most important factors to obtain the maximum performance or yield in every climatic condition and for each plant varieties is determining the optimum plant density. Henna (Lowsonia inermis L.) is a perennial plant with high value in terms of having medicinal properties and industrial applications. The dye which is derived from green leaves of henna is used for decorating the body with intricate designs and the principle coloring matter is lawsone, 2-hydroxy-1, 4-naphthoqunone. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the agro-physiological reaction of different henna ecotypes to different planting densities in Kerman weather conditions.
Materials and Methods
The study was carried out as a factorial experiment based on complete randomized block design with three replications in Shahid Bahonar University in 2015. The experiment consisted of four plant densities (25, 33, 50 and 100 plants m-2) and three ecotypes (Shahdad, Roodbar and Bam). Due to its small seeds and germination problems the planting method used was transplanting. In this study, growth indices such as leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), relative growth rate (RGR), leaf area ratio (LAR), specific leaf area (SLA), specific leaf weight (SLW), leaf area duration (LAD) and biomass duration (BMD) were calculated. The net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate were measured in the middle of growing period by photosynthesis meter (CI-340 model, CID Bio- Science companies, USA). At the end, the results were analyzed using the SAS v. 9.1 and MSTATC software’s and diagrams were drawn by Excel software.
Results and Discussion
The results showed that the studied ecotypes were significantly different in terms of CGR, RGR and stomatal conductance. The highest average of CGR belonged to Shahdad ecotype while there was no significant difference between Roodbar and Bam ecotypes in this case. Shahdad ecotype with the RGR of 0.018 g.g.day had the highest average of this trait. This difference could be due to physiological, morphological and chemical factors as well as allocating pattern of photosyntates, all affects the relative growth rate. The maximum value of stomatal conductance was recorded for Shahdad ecotype (234.6 mmol m-2 s-1), that was not significantly different with Bam ecotypes (229.6 mmol m-2 s-1). There are some reports showing that the number of stomata per unit of leaf area may be changed with plant species and varieties. The differences in studied densities were statistically significant for the measured traits. Results showed that the maximum of CGR was recorded for 100 plants m-2 density. Increase in CGR at the higher densities could be due to the increased number of plants per unit area producing a higher leaf area index. In this research LAI increased with increasing in planting density and the highest average of this trait was obtained from 100 plants m-2. LAD and BMD were affected significantly by planting density. The results of mean comparisons showed that average of LAD and BMD decreased with increasing in plant density from 50 to 100 plants m-2. The same result was obtained for net photosynthesis, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance. Low net photosynthesis in 100 plants m-2 density could be due to high competition between plants for light and food absorption, increase in shading and consequently increasing in respiration. The results showed that total dry yield and leaf dry yield were significantly affected by planting densities. The highest and lowest values of mentioned traits belonged to densities of 100 and 25 plants m-2 respectively.
Conclusions
Generally between ecotypes evaluated in terms of performance, there was no difference in Kerman weather conditions. Also the highest yield was belonged to100 plants m-2 density. It should be noted that henna is a perennial plant and this planting density for the first year is economically justified but for more than one year old plants, according to changes in body size of the plant, research on the appropriate density seems to be necessary.

Keywords

CGR; Ecotype; Row spacing; stomatal conductance; yield

References

1. Al-Rubiay, K. K., Jaber, N. N., Al-Mhaawe, B. H., and Alrubaiy, L. K. 2008. Antimicrobial efficacy of henna extracts. Oman Medical Journal 23: 253-6.

2. Armin, M., Noormohammadi, Gh., Darvish F., Zand, S., and Baghestani, M. 2008. Study on some ecophysiological difference in more and less competitive winter wheat cultivars on competition with wild oat at different wheat densities. Journal of Pajouhesh and Sazandegi 80: 119-127. (in Persian with English abstract).

3. Bannayan, M., Rahmati, M., Ghani A., and Ghavidel, H. 2010. Quantitative analysis of growth and production of two local and commercial cultivars of radish (Rhaphanus sativus L.) in response to different levels of planting density. Iranian Journal of Field Crop Research 8 (6): 1002-1011. (in Persian with English abstract).

4. Behdani, M., Ghazvini, K., Mohammadzadeh, A. R., and Sadeghian, A. 2009. Antibacterial activity of Henna extracts against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeroginosa. Ofogh-e-Danesh. GMUHS Journal Vol. 15: 46-52. (in Persian with English abstract).

5. Bich, D. H., Chung, D. Q., Chuong, B. X., Dong, N. T., Dam, D. T., Hien, P. V., Lo, V. N., Mai, P. D., Man, P. K., Nhu, D. T., Tap, N., and Toan, T. 2004. The Medicinal Plants and Animals in Vietnam. Hanoi Science and Technology Publishing House, Hanoi, Vol. 1, p. 224.

6. Board, J. E., and Harville, B. G. 1996. Explantions for greater light interception in narrow- vs- wide-row soybean. Crop Science 32: 198-202.

7. Caglar, S., and Tekin, H. 1999. The stomata density of pistachio cultivars on different pistacia rootstocks. Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry 23: 1029-1032.

8. Campos, V. M., Pasin, L. A. A. P., and Barja, P. R. 2008. Photosynthetic activity and growth analysis of the plant Costus spicatus cultivated under different light conditions. The European Physical Journal Special Topics 153: 527-529.

9. Chaudhary, G., Goyal, S., and Poonia, P. 2010. Lawsonia inermis Linnaeus: A Phytopharmacological Review. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research 2: 91-98.

10. Endrini, S., Rahmat, A., Ismail, P., and Taufiq-Yap, Y. H. 2007. Comparing of the cytotoxicity properties and mechanism of Lawsonia inermis and Strobilanthe crispus extract against several cancer cell lines. Journal of Medical Science 7: 1098-1102.

11. Pasandi Pour, A., Farahbakhsh, H., and Moradi, R. 2018. Assessing effect of climatic-management factors on yield and growth characteristics of henna (Lowsonia inermis L.) as a medicinal-industrial plant in Kerman province. Agroecology. (In Press). (in Persian with English abstract).

12. Ghalandari, R., Rhimzadeh Khoei, F., Toorchi, M., and Behtari, B. 2009. Effect of Plant Density on Growth and Yield of Three Sunflower Hybrids (Helianthus annuus L.) as a Second Crop. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Production Science 2 (20): 27-40. (in Persian with English abstract).

13. Grogton, K. F., Schneiter, A. A., and Nagle, B. J. 1988. Row spacing, plant population and genotype with row spacing effects on yield and yield components of dry bean. Agronomy Journal 80: 631-634.

14. Holshouser, D. L., and Jones, B. P. 2003. Early-maturing double crop soybean requires higher plant population to meet leaf area requirement. Crop Management 2. doi: 10.1094/CM-2003-0408-01-RS.

15. Koc, M., Barutcular, C., and Genc, I. 2003. Photosynthesis and productivity of old and modern durum wheat’s in Mediterranean environment. Crop Science 43: 2089-2098.

16. Koocheki, A., and Sarmadnia, G. 2006. Physiology of crop plants. Jahade-e-Daneshgahi Mashhad Press. (in Persian).

17. Kuhlase, L. M., Ossom, E. M., and Rhykerd, R. L. 2009. Effects of plant populations on morphological and physiological parameters of intercropped sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Academic Journal of Plant Science 2 (1): 16-24.

18. Kumar Singh, D., Luqman, S., and Kumar Mathur, A. 2015. Lawsonia inermis L. – A commercially important primaeval dying and medicinal plant with diverse pharmacological activity: A review. Industrial Crops Products 65: 269-286.

19. Lebaschi, M. H. 1992. Investigate the different aspect of dual purpose using of Barley and Oat variety. M. Sc. Thesis in Agronomy. Isfahan Industrial Univ.

20. Martin, R. J., and Deo, B. 2000. Effect of plant population on calendula (Calendula officinalis L.) flower production. New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science 28 (1): 37-44.

21. Misirli, A., Topuz, F., and Zeybekoglu, N. 1998. Research on variation of female and male figs in terms of leaf properties and stomatal distribution. Acta Horticulture 480: 129-132

22. Moradhajati, P., and Shokuhfar, A. 2016. Growth Analysis, Yield and Yield Components of Three Barley Cultivars (Hordeum vulgare L.) under Different Seeding Rates. Journal of Crop Ecophysiology 10 (2): 461-476. (in Persian with English abstract).

23. Morrison, M. J., Mcvetty, P. B. E., and Scar, R. 1990. Effect of altering plant density on growing characteristics of summer rape. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 70: 139-149.

24. Nour-Mohamadi, G., Siadat, A., and Kashani, A. 2010. Agronomy, Vol. 1. Cereal Crops. Shahid Chamran University Press. (in Persian).

25. Poorter, H. 1989. Interspecific variation in relative growth rate: On ecological causes and physiological consequences. p. 45-68. In Lambers, et al., (Eds.) Causes and consequences of variation in growth rate and productivity of higher plants. SPB Acad. Publishing.

26. Pourhadian, H., and Khajepour, M. R. 2008. Effects of row spacing and planting density on growth indices and yield of safflower, local variety of Isfahan Koseh in summer planting. Journal of Science and Technology of Agriculture and Natural Resources 11 (42): 17-31. (in Persian with English abstract).

27. Rafiei Alhoseini, M., and Salehi, F. 2002. Effect of plant density on grain yield and arable characteristics of three Sunflower varieties in Shahrekord. 8th Iranian Crop Science Congress, Gilan, Iran.

28. Sadeghi, H., Heidari Sharifabd, H., Hamidi, A., Noormohammadi, Gh., and Madani, H. 2015. Effect of planting date and plant density on net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, leaf chlorophyll index and grain yield of soybean in Meghan and Karaj areas. Journal of Plant Ecophysiology 7 (23): 83-94. (in Persian with English abstract).

29. Taize, L., and Zeiger, E. 1998. Plant physiology. 2nd Ed. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland.

30. Tanzarella, O. A., Depace, C., and Filippetti, A. 1984. Stomata frequency and size in Vicia faba L. Crop Science 24: 1070-1076.

31. Viddicombe, W. D., and Thelen, K. D. 2002. Row width and plant density effects on corn grain production in the Northern cron Belt. Agronomy Journal 94: 1020-1023.

32. Yaghoubnejad, F. 2004. Effect of row space, plant space and variety on growth, tuber size and potato yield. M. Sc. Thesis in Agronomy. Isfahan Industrial Univ.