Table 1.
Physical and chemical analyses of the used soil.
| Soil type | Particle size distribution (%) | S.P. | E.C. (ds · m−1) | pH | Cations (meq · L 1) | Anions (meq · L 1) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sand | Silt | Clay | Ca++ | Mg++ | Na+ | K+ | HCO3 | Cl- | SO4- | ||||
| Loamy | 48.0 | 35.5 | 16.5 | 44.0 | 1.36 | 8.28 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 6.63 | 0.65 | 0.5 | 7.5 | 5.28 |
Table 2.
Effect of synthetic hormones on plant height, number of branches per plant, number of leaves per plant, stem diameter and root length of Celosia argentea during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
| Treatments | Plant height (cm) | Number of branches per plant | Number of leaves per plant | Stem diameter (cm) | Root length (cm) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | ||
| Control | 45.00 g | 51.20 h | 5.33 e | 6.33 g | 45.30 i | 41.70 i | 0.53 e | 0.57 g | 6.30 f | 5.70 g | |
| Thyroxine | 50 μg · L−1 | 57.30 f | 61.70 fg | 9.00 d | 10.33 f | 57.00 h | 51.00 h | 0.77 d | 0.81 f | 6.2 fg | 6.20 f |
| 100 μg · L−1 | 103.30 a | 108.00 a | 19.33 a | 22.33 a | 118.00 a | 121.00 a | 1.53 a | 1.61 a | 9.73 b | 10.80 b | |
| 150 μg · L−1 | 84.30 cd | 86.70 c | 14.33 bc | 15.33 d | 85.00 cd | 80.30 e | 0.97 c | 1.13 b | 7.30 de | 6.50 f | |
| Progesterone | 100 mg · L−1 | 86.330 bcd | 83.70 cd | 8.67 d | 10.67 f | 62.70 gh | 64.00 g | 0.80 d | 0.77 f | 5.60 g | 5.20 g |
| 200 mg · L−1 | 91.00 b | 92.70 b | 18.00 a | 21.70 ab | 101.70 b | 115.30 b | 1.57 a | 1.57 a | 4.40 h | 3.90 h | |
| 300 mg · L−1 | 61.30 f | 64.00 g | 13.00 c | 14.67 e | 73.30 ef | 70.30 f | 1.03 c | 1.00 cd | 4.20 h | 3.47 h | |
| Testosterone | 250 mg · L−1 | 71.00 e | 75.30 f | 9.33 d | 10.33 f | 59.30 h | 63.70 g | 0.80 d | 0.87 ef | 7.80 d | 7.37 e |
| 500 mg · L−1 | 87.70 bc | 80.30 def | 18.00 a | 20.67 b | 89.30 c | 95.00 c | 1.53 a | 1.60 a | 9.27 bc | 9.97 c | |
| 750 mg · L−1 | 62.70 f | 64.00 g | 15.00 b | 16.67 d | 56.70 h | 63.00 g | 1.00 c | 0.95 de | 11.20 a | 11.70 a | |
| Cortisone | 0.5 mg · L−1 | 73.30 e | 78.30 ef | 8.33 d | 10.33 f | 67.30 fg | 72.00 f | 0.70 d | 0.82 f | 7.10 e | 6.37 f |
| 1.0 mg · L−1 | 74.00 e | 81.70 cde | 12.67 c | 15.00 e | 79.00 de | 87.70 d | 1.20 b | 1.10 bc | 6.80 ef | 7.20 e | |
| 1.5 mg · L−1 | 80.30 d | 85.00 cd | 15.67 b | 18.67 c | 82.00 d | 97.00 c | 1.50 a | 1.55 a | 8.70 c | 9.17 d | |
1 Means having the same letter are not significantly different at the 0.05 level of probability according to Duncan’s multiple range test (Duncan, 1955).
Table 3.
Effect of synthetic hormones on fresh and dry weights of plant vegetative parts and roots of Celosia argentea during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
| Treatments | Fresh weight of vegetative part (g) | Dry weight of vegetative part (g) | Root fresh weight (g) | Root dry weight (g) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 2022 | Season 2023 | Season 2022 | Season 2023 | Season 2022 | Season 2023 | Season 2022 | Season 2023 | ||
| Control | 31.60 h | 37.08 k | 4.87 f | 4.37 i | 4.50 g | 4.17 e | 1.35 g | 1.24 i | |
| Thyroxine | 50 μg · L−1 | 42.83 g | 49.93 j | 6.30 e | 5.78 h | 6.80 cd | 5.83 d | 1.90 ef | 1.78 g |
| 100 μg · L−1 | 82.17 a | 91.20 a | 13.39 a | 14.80 a | 9.00 a | 8.67 a | 3.52 a | 3.43 a | |
| 150 μg · L−1 | 61.27 cd | 68.27 de | 7.71 d | 8.36 e | 8.02 b | 8.00 b | 2.23 d | 2.34 e | |
| Progesterone | 100 mg · L−1 | 62.97 c | 70.78 d | 7.53 d | 8.11 e | 3.73 h | 3.60 f | 1.90 ef | 1.50 h |
| 200 mg · L−1 | 72.34 b | 79.77 b | 10.57 b | 10.86 c | 4.43 g | 4.43 e | 2.27 d | 2.38 e | |
| 300 mg · L−1 | 52.30 f | 54.67 i | 8.48 c | 9.00 d | 3.57 hi | 3.52 f | 1.75 f | 1.64 gh | |
| Testosterone | 250 mg · L−1 | 58.63 d | 62.50 g | 7.51 d | 7.90 ef | 7.27 c | 7.40 c | 2.50 c | 2.62 d |
| 500 mg · L−1 | 64.07 c | 64.67 fg | 10.64 b | 11.43 b | 8.30 b | 8.43 ab | 2.91 b | 3.10 b | |
| 750 mg · L−1 | 50.60 f | 53.50 i | 7.84 cd | 8.17 e | 6.26 e | 5.90 d | 2.10 de | 2.27 e | |
| Cortisone | 0.5 mg · L−1 | 55.50 e | 58.40 h | 6.21 e | 7.40 g | 3.13 i | 2.93 g | 1.52 g | 1.55 h |
| 1.0 mg · L−1 | 61.83 c | 65.63 ef | 7.11 d | 7.65 fg | 5.53 f | 5.97 d | 1.98 e | 2.11 f | |
| 1.5 mg · L−1 | 72.17 b | 76.00 c | 10.00 b | 10.67 c | 6.67 de | 7.12 c | 2.59 c | 2.79 c | |
1 Means having the same letter are not significantly different at the 0.05 level of probability according to Duncan’s multiple range test (Duncan, 1955).
Table 4.
Effect of synthetic hormones on the number of days to flowering, the number of flowers per plant, flower length, flower weight and flower diameter of Celosia argentea plants during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
| Treatments | Number of days to flowering | Number of flowers per plant | Flower length (cm) | Flower weight (g) | Flower diameter (cm) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 2022 | Season 2023 | Season 2022 | Season 2023 | Season 2022 | Season 2023 | Season 2022 | Season 2023 | Season 2022 | Season 2023 | ||
| Control | 142.00 ab | 151.00 a | 6.30 i | 7.00 f | 2.77 i | 3.07 i | 0.55 i | 0.82 h | 2.20 g | 2.10 f | |
| Thyroxine | 50 μg · L−1 | 129.00 d | 137.30 c | 8.30 ghi | 8.67 e | 5.87 g | 5.60 fg | 1.19 h | 1.45 g | 2.73 e | 2.9 c |
| 100 μg · L−1 | 115.00 f | 112.33 f | 23.00 a | 21.30 a | 9.57 a | 10.10 a | 4.70 a | 5.43 a | 3.27 a | 3.60 a | |
| 150 μg · L−1 | 133.30 c | 137.00 bc | 12.30 ef | 13.67 c | 6.47 ef | 5.97 ef | 2.47 e | 2.96 d | 2.93 cd | 3.00 c | |
| Progesterone | 100 mg · L−1 | 129.30 cd | 125.00 de | 10.30 fg | 12.00 d | 4.80 h | 5.33 gh | 2.73 de | 2.39 e | 2.20 g | 2.43 e |
| 200 mg · L−1 | 111.67 f | 115.00 f | 18.30 b | 17.30 b | 8.97 b | 9.00 b | 3.70 b | 3.15 cd | 3.20 ab | 3.37 b | |
| 300 mg · L−1 | 130.00 cd | 134.70 c | 9.67 g | 10.70 d | 7.17 d | 6.83 d | 1.27 gh | 1.61 fg | 2.17 g | 2.40 e | |
| Testosterone | 250 mg · L−1 | 145.30 a | 141.30 b | 7.30 hi | 8.67 e | 4.70 h | 4.97 h | 1.70 f | 2.15 e | 2.17 g | 2.40 e |
| 500 mg · L−1 | 140.70 b | 135.30 c | 16.00 b | 14.00 c | 8.33 c | 9.13 b | 3.73 b | 4.10 b | 2.80 de | 2.63 d | |
| 750 mg · L−1 | 130.30 cd | 125.30 de | 14.67 cd | 14.00 c | 8.77 bc | 9.27 b | 1.51 fg | 1.83 f | 2.33 g | 2.40 e | |
| Cortisone | 0.5 mg · L−1 | 119.30 e | 120.33 ef | 8.67 gh | 10.67 d | 6.00 fg | 6.30 e | 3.17 c | 3.82 b | 2.53 f | 2.70 d |
| 1.0 mg · L−1 | 121.30 e | 125.70 d | 12.67 de | 14.30 c | 7.03 de | 7.50 c | 3.02 cd | 3.33 c | 2.77 de | 2.93 c | |
| 1.5 mg · L−1 | 130.30 cd | 136.00 c | 16.00 b | 18.30b | 8.63 bc | 8.90 b | 3.54 b | 4.03 b | 3.00 bc | 3.00 c | |
1 Means having the same letter are not significantly different at the 0.05 level of probability according to Duncan’s multiple range test (Duncan, 1955).
Table 5.
Effect of synthetic hormones on total chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids and total carbohydrates of Celosia argentea plants during the 2023 season.
| Treatments | Chlorophyll a (mg · g−1 FW) | Chlorophyll b (mg · g−1 FW) | Carotenoids (mg · g−1 FW) | Total carbohydrates (% d.w.) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control | 1.153 h | 0.330 j | 0.454 e | 24.66 i | |
| Thyroxine | 50 μg · L−1 | 1.274 d | 0.349 hi | 0.461 e | 25.45 g |
| 100 μg · L−1 | 1.484 a | 0.569 a | 0.617 a | 33.57 a | |
| 150 μg · L−1 | 1.325 c | 0.426 d | 0.505 b | 29.18 c | |
| Progesterone | 100 mg · L−1 | 1.215 ef | 0.372 fg | 0.490 cd | 26.20 f |
| 200 mg · L−1 | 1.449 a | 0.512 b | 0.615 a | 32.00 b | |
| 300 mg · L−1 | 1.357 bc | 0.436 d | 0.509 b | 27.17 e | |
| Testosterone | 250 mg · L−1 | 1.176 gh | 0.332 ig | 0.424 f | 24.78 i |
| 500 mg · L−1 | 1.336 c | 0.385 ef | 0.460 e | 27.45 d | |
| 750 mg · L−1 | 1.237 e | 0.355 gh | 0.452 e | 24.98 h | |
| Cortisone | 0.5 mg · L−1 | 1.187 fgh | 0.346 hij | 0.480 d | 25.33 g |
| 1.0 mg · L−1 | 1.204 efg | 0.339 ef | 0.514 b | 27.45 d | |
| 1.5 mg · L−1 | 1.384 b | 0.476 c | 0.600 a | 32.14 b | |
1 Means having the same letter are not significantly different at the 0.05 level of probability according to Duncan’s multiple range test (Duncan, 1955). FW, fresh weight.