The experiment was caried out during two years 2003 and 2004
at Ornamental Horticulture Departments, Faculty of Agriculture, Cario
University to study the effect of some agricultural practices such as
plant spacing (20, 40 or 60 cm between the plant and some chemical
fertilization treatments such as (ammonium nitrate, or ammonium
sulphate at the rate of 2, 4 or 8 gm/plant or NPK at the levels of (1:1:1;
2:1:1; 3:1:1; 1:2:2; 2:2:1; 3:2:2; 1:3:2 and 3:3:1) at the rate of
5/gm/plant on growth and chemical composition of Kochia scoparia
trichophila plants in order to recommend the best plant spacing as well
as the suitable fertilization treatments which can be used for production
of Kochia plants.
The results can be summerized as follows:-
I-Plant spacing:-
- Plant spacing (20, 40 or 60 cm between the plants) had a highly
significant effect on plant growth and chemical composition. The
closer plant spacing (20 cm) produced significantly the tallest plants.
- The wider plant spacing (60 cm) significantly increased the following
characteristics: number of branches/plant; plant circumference; fresh
and dry weights of the herb; and the percentages of carbohydrates,
nitrogen, protein, phosphorus and potassium in the plant.
II- Chemical fertilization:-
- The applicate of chemical fertilization treatments had a highly
significant effect on plant growth and chemical composition which
were used in this study. NPK treatment at the rate of 1:3:2 was the
most effective treatment in producing the tallest plants, the largest
plant circumferences and the heaviest fresh and dry weight/plant in
both seasons.
- NPK treatment at the rate of (1:3:2) significantly increased
carbohydrates, nitrogen and protein perentages.
- NPK treatment at the rate of (2:2:1) was the most effective treatment in
increasing the percentages of phosphorus and potassium in the plant.