EFFECT OF BIOSPHOR AND MALAN ON GROWTH AND DEGREE OF BRIX (°BX) IN CANE JUICE OF TWO SUGAR-CANE VARIETIES
MENGISTU SIME
Abstract
The effect of two new Czech product of plant growth
regulators (PGR) Biosphor andMalan on growth and degree ofBrix (°Bx) in
cane juice of two sugar-cane varieties Co-290 and Canal Point (CP-5243), were
studied in greenhouse pot experiment at the institute of Tropical and Subtropical
Agriculture of the Agricultural University, Prague in 1997.
Biosphor and Malan were applied on 390-day-old plants in April in the form of
spray on the leaves at rates of 1: 4 000 and 1:10 000, respectively. The second,
third, fourth and fifth applications were repeated at the interval of one month.
Results showed that Malan enhanced the enlongation of the main stalk only on
variety Co-290 but Biosphor decreased it. Plants of sugarcane variety CP-5243
treated with both growth regulators had shown a slight decrease on the stalk
length, as compared with the control. On the other hand Biosphor andMalan treatments
increased cane weight only on variety Co-290. The effects ofBiosfor and Malan
on tillering, number of internodes and leaves (dead and green leaves) were compared
and discussed. An increase in the degree ofBrix was observed following the treatments.
Key words:
sugar-cane, plant growth regulators, growth, degree
of Brix