the use of biodegradable polymers to propagation of ornamental bulbous plants

Synthesized growth regulators may cause a negative impact on the environment so the use of natural bio-stimulators in horticulture is becoming more popular. Some biopolymers can have a stimulating influence on the growth and development of plants. In addition, polymers can be used to form hydrogel coatings on the surface of plant organs to protect them against the adverse influence of external factors. Eucomis species are widely used in southern African traditional medicine and have a horticultural potential. This study was conducted in order to determine the effect of biopolymer coating of twin-scale cuttings on the yield of Eucomis comosa ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ and ‘Twinkly Stars’ bulblets. For coating of twin-scale cuttings, 1% solution of gellan gum (Phytagel) or 0.5% solution of oligochitosan were used. Coating of twin-scale cuttings in gellan gum had a positive impact on the number and weight of the bulblets. The highest number of roots and maximum root length were observed in bulblets derived from the twin scale cuttings coating in oligochitosan. A comparison of cultivars showed that ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ produced more bulblets with longer roots than ‘Twinkly Stars’.