Interactive Effects of Methanol and Melatonin on Growth and Flowering of China Aster

• Mustafa Hatem Abdul Hakim Al-Khazraji Abdul Kareem A. J. Mohammad Saeed

  Author

      A greenhouse experiment was conducted during the 2025–2026 growing season at the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, College of Agriculture, University of Diyala, Iraq, to evaluate the effects of foliar application of methanol and melatonin on the vegetative growth and flowering performance of China aster. The experiment was arranged as a 3 × 3 factorial in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Methanol was applied at 0, 15, and 30%, while melatonin was applied at 0, 50, and 100 mg L⁻¹. Foliar application of 15% methanol significantly enhanced plant height, primary branch number, and flower number per plant, whereas 30% methanol increased leaf nitrogen content, flower stalk diameter, and flower longevity. Melatonin at 50 mg L⁻¹ improved leaf nitrogen content, while 100 mg L⁻¹ produced the highest leaf fresh weight, flower dry weight, flower longevity, and delayed the appearance of the first flower bud. Significant interaction effects were observed between methanol and melatonin treatments, with M15 × MEL0, M0 × MEL50, and M30 × MEL100 providing superior performance for most vegetative and flowering traits. Overall, foliar application of methanol and melatonin effectively improved the growth and flowering characteristics of China aster, demonstrating their potential as practical biostimulants for enhancing ornamental plant quality

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