THE USE OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS TO CONTROL EASTERN BLACK NIGHTSHADE (SOLANUM PTYCANTHUM) BERRIES

Eastern black nightshade berries interfere with harvest, stain fruit, and are an undesirable contaminate in processing vegetables. The problem may be reduced if flowering, berry production, and maturity could be regulated. Greenhouse experiments evaluated the effect of commercially available plant g...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inHortScience Vol. 28; no. 5; p. 478
Main Authors Masiunas, John B, Crotser, Michael P
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 01.05.1993
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Summary:Eastern black nightshade berries interfere with harvest, stain fruit, and are an undesirable contaminate in processing vegetables. The problem may be reduced if flowering, berry production, and maturity could be regulated. Greenhouse experiments evaluated the effect of commercially available plant growth regulators on eastern black nightshade growth and reproduction. Nightshade were seeded in 10 cm plastic pots and allowed to grow until the reproductive stage. Chlormequat-chloride, ethephon, gibberellic acid, dikegulac sodium, and paclobutazol were applied at standard rates in 90 L ha -1 of spray solution using a moving nozzle spray chamber. Nightshade growth, flowering, and berry production were evaluated 3 wk after treatment. Gibberellic acid and ethephon caused leaf chlorosis. Ethephon increased the percentage of ripe berries and decreased the number of flowers per plant.
ISSN:0018-5345
2327-9834
DOI:10.21273/HORTSCI.28.5.478d