INITIAL GROWTH OF GRAVE HOLDER (LEMON) SUBMITTED TO FLOATING AND FOLIAR SPRAYING WITH STIMULATE®

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the plant bioregulator, Stimulate, via seed imbibition and foliar spraying on initial seedling growth and root development of lemon (Citrus limonia Osbeck) under rizotron conditions. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse in two stages: 1) planting in plastic bags of black polyethylene (15cm wide x 20cm long); 2) and under rizotron conditions, in which lemon seeds and the bioregulator Stimulate were used, in concentrations, 0.0 (control); 2.5; 5.0; 7.5; 10.0; 12.5; 15.0 mL of Stimulate L-1 aqueous solution for seed imbibition soaking for 1 hour. And the concentrations 0,0 (control); 2.5; 3.75; 5.0; 6.25; 7.5; 8.75 mL of Stimulate L-1, via foliar spraying on initial seedling growth in the two stages. The experimental design was completely randomized with seven treatments and four replicates, using five plants per plot. At 16 days after sowing (DAS), thinning was done, leaving one plant per plastic bag. At 150 DAS, the plants were submitted to seven weekly spray with Stimulate solutions. At 210 DAS the following were recorded: root length, stem length, leaf number, root dry mass, leaf dry mass, dry stem mass and total dry mass of the plants and leaf area. Under rhizotron conditions, thinning was done at 16 DAS, leaving one plant per rizotron with the following variables recorded at 82 DAS: main root growth rate, total root length, daily root growth rate. Pre-soaking of clove lemon seeds with the bioregulator under rizotron conditions demonstrated an increase in total root length and daily root length rate of the main root. The Stimulate via leaf spraying significantly increased the number of leaves, stem length and total length, increment in leaf dry mass and leaf area of the lemon plants.