بررسي اثر محلول سولفات روي بر روي بوته هاي مادري چاي به منظور كاهش تلفات قلم در خزانه

A Study of Zinc Sulfate Foliare Application Effect on the Mother Bushes of Tea Plant for Reduction of Unrooted Cuttings in Nursery

One of the best propagation methods of Tea "Camellia sinensis" is the use of stem leafy cutting, but unrooted cuttings in nursery of tea are extreme. Various factors as mother bush condition, environmental factors, cutting method, nursery management and different treatments could interfere in the reduction or increase of unrooted cuttings in nursery bed. A practical and scientific way for decreasing the unrooted cutting numbers of tea in nursery is a desirable nutrition of mother bushes and then preparation of cutting from them. Through nutrients, zinc, due to participating in indole acetic acid (IAA) and chlorophyll biosynthesis, has a significant value. In order to reduce the unrooted cuttings in tea nursery and study the zinc effect, the experiment was carried out in randomized complete block design with four treatments (including TI: Control, T2: NPK fertilizers, T3: NPK+ once zinc sulfate spray at 1% concentration and T4: NPK+ twice spray of zinc sulfate at 1%) and four replications. Callus volume, root weight (fresh and dry) and volume, young plant height, leaf numbers, stem diameter and percent of unrooted cuttings were measured. According to the results, callus volume, plant height, leaves number, root weight and volume showed a significant difference (at least in 5% level). Through treatments, T3 had the best effect on most of the characters. T3 decreased the rate of unrooted cuttings about 19% rather than control.