Seed germination and seedling growth of lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum( treatead with stratification, light and seaweed extract

Lisianthus is a slow-growing flowering plant whose seed germination and seedling growth in the tropics is a challenge. Due to the marketability of this type of cut flower, seed cooling treatments, light application with different spectra and application of seaweed extract (SWE) were used to increase seed germination quality, improve photosynthetic performance and increase the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of lisianthus. The study was conducted in two separate sections to evaluate the effect of SWE and starification treatment on seed germination of two cultivars of lisianthus (Arena and Mariachi) and also study the effect of different LED lights and SWE on seedling growth. In the first part - the first experiment, from five concentrations SWE including 0, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 ml/L and in the first part - the second experiment, from the treatment starification temperatures at 10 ° C (pre-culture) was used for 15, 30 and 45 days. In the first part, the third experiment examined the effect of the combined application of starification treatment and SWE on lisianthus seed germination. At each stage of the first part, the experiment was performed as a factorial in a completely randomized statistical design in five replications. In this part of the study, treatment with concentrations SWE including 125 and 250 ml/L and 30 days of starification significantly increased the final germination rate and reduced the average germination time in the Arena cultivar compared to the control treatment. In the second part of the research, a factorial experiment was performed in the form of statistical multi-factor statistical plans with control (imaginary plot) and completely random in three stages. In the first step, in order to investigate the effect of different LED lights and SWE on seedling growth, an experiment with different LED lights treatment with blue, red, blue-red, white and five concentrations SWE including 125, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 ml/L and control treatment (in greenhouse conditions) and was performed in 8 repetitions. At the end, the factors of number of leaves per plant, leaf diameter, leaf width, number of internodes, length of intercostals, stem length, stem diameter and leaf greenness index were measured. At this stage, the maximum leaf width and stem diameter were observed in blue light and the highest leaf diameter was observed in combined red-blue light. In the second stage, the treated seedlings were removed from the growth chamber in the first stage, the second part, which reached the four-leaf stage, were transferred out of the growth chamber and planted pots of size 12 cm in diameter filled with  cocopeat, perlite and vermiculite (2: 1: 1 v/v) media  and were kept in the greenhouse in 8 repetitions. At this stage, after 30 days and for three repetitions, the factors of wet and dry weight of air and root organs, leaf and root surface, sugar content and size were measured. At this stage, the highest wet and dry weight of aerial limbs was observed in Arena cultivar, 125 ml/L concentration SWE and blue light. In the third step, 60 days after the second step - the second part, Lisianthus seedlings of both cultivars and in five repetitions were arranged in pots of size 16 cm in diameter filled with a cocopeat, perlite, and vermiculite (2: 2: 1 v/v) media to evaluate yield. At the end, the factors of number of leaves per plant and lateral branch, stem length and lateral branch, number of lateral branches number of flower buds per plant were measured. At this stage, the highest number of flower buds was observed in the plant and the length of the stem was observed in white light. Also, the different concentrations of seaweed extract significantly increased the number of flower buds per plant than the control treatment. An increase in most morphological features of lisianthus related to all three stages of the second part of the experiment was observed in LED lights blue and the combined red-blue. To sum up application of 125ml/L of SWE is recommended lisianthus production.