Effect of Spraying Organic Acids and Sugar Alcohols (Sorbitol) on the Growth and Flowering of Zinnia plant Zinnia elegans L.

• Abdulmuhaimin Naji Jabbar Al-Janabi& Adib Jassim Abbas Al-Ahbaby

  Author

The experiment was conducted in the field belonging to the Horticultural Structures Unit of the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering / College of Agriculture / Tikrit University during the 2025 growing season to investigate the effect of spraying amino acids and sugar alcohol (sorbitol) on the growth and flowering of zinnia plants. The study included two factors: the first was spraying amino acids at four concentrations (0, 2, 4, 6 ml L⁻¹), and the second was spraying sugar alcohol at three levels (0, 3, 6 ml L⁻¹). The experiment was carried out using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications, with 4 pots per experimental unit. The main results can be summarized as follows: The amino acid spray treatment at a concentration of 6 ml L⁻¹ achieved a significant superiority in the traits of plant height (38.27 cm), number of branches (17.44 branches plant⁻¹), number of leaves (340.11 leaves plant⁻¹), and dry weight of the vegetative shoot (10.93 g). Spraying with sugar alcohol (sorbitol) at a concentration of 6 ml L⁻¹ led to a significant increase in plant height (32.39 cm), individual leaf area (15.99 cm²), and total chlorophyll content (33.53 SPAD). The 6 ml L⁻¹ concentration also achieved a significant increase in plant spread (31.33 cm). The binary interaction between amino acids and sorbitol at concentrations of 6 and 6 ml L⁻¹ recorded the highest values for increasing floral production (19.00 inflorescences plant⁻¹). The vase life of the inflorescences improved markedly, reaching a significant value of 13.818 days with the 6 ml L⁻¹ amino acid treatment, and reaching 14.33 days when interacting with sorbitol at a concentration of 3 ml L⁻¹. Most vegetative traits, including plant height (43.08 cm), plant spread (34.66 cm), and individual leaf area (18.25 cm²), showed significant superiority when sprayed with amino acids and sorbitol at concentrations of 6 and 6 ml L⁻¹.

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