FLOWER QUALITY CHARACTERS RESPONSE OF GRAFTED AND NON-GRAFTED CAPE JASMINE (GARDENIA JASMINOIDES ELLIS) TO FOLIAR IRON SPRAY AND PACLOBUTRAZOL TREATMENTS

Two pot experiments of grafted cape jasmine (Gardenia jasminoides on G. thunbergia rootstock) and non-grafted cape jasmine were carried out in lath house, Horticulture Dept., Agriculture College, Tikrit University at the agricultural season of 2013. The effect of foliar iron spray and paclobutrazol treatments on flower quality characters of these plants was investigated. Foliar iron spray (Fe2SO4 6%) at the rate of 1 ml.L-1 was applied every 15 and 30 days. The paclobutrazol treatment was added as drench application on three levels (0, 10 and 20 mg.L-1). Factorial experiment within Randomized Complete Block Design was used. The results showed that superior iron spraying treatment affected the flower number, weight and diameter. Foliar spray every 30 days gave the highest flower number (8.68) of grafted plant and (0.88) of non-grafted plant. Adding paclobutrazol at the level of 10 mg.L-1 resulted insignificant increase in flower weight of non-grafted plant (3.079). The interaction treatment between foliar iron spray every 30 days and pacloburazol level (20 mg.L-1) gave the highest volatile oil content (0.68 µg.g-1).