Potential Of Plant Extracts As Growth Regulators: The Influence of Plant
Extract to Growth of Cutting of Potato Seeding.
FACHIRAH ULFA1.2, ENNY LISAN SENGIN1, BAHARUDDIN2, SYATRIANTI
ANDI SYAIFUL1
1
. Department of Agronomy, Faculty Of Agriculture, Hasanuddin University,
Makassar, Indonesia.
2
. Research Centre for Biotechnology, Hasanuddin University.
Correspondence author: fachirah.ulfa@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
An experiment on potato has been undertaken at screenhouse of Central Potato Seed in
Malino, South of Sulawesi (1600 m asl). Its aimed to select the best plant extract, as
growth regulator of potato seedling, namely: water as a control, corn, onion, coconut
water, beans, banana, bean sprouts. Each part of plant is blended with water and then
given fermentation during 15 days. The solution were centrifuged by 8000 rpm for ten
minutes. Seedling derived from the mini tuber cutting in vitro result. Result revealed
that corn extract gave the best treatment on potato seedling on parameter of seedling
height (15.87 cm), larger amount of leaves (9.40 sheet), length of root (13.39 cm).
Key Words: plant extract, growth regulator, potato seedling.
INTRODUCTION
In Indonesia, the potatoes get priority to be researched and developed. Potato
agribusiness development is very strategic, because it can increase the income and
standard of living of farmers, support the diversification program (diversification),
increasing non-oil export commodities and raw materials as well as the food industry
has a high potential economic value (Rukmana, 2006 and Surono, 2012). National
potato consumption is currently about 2.02 kilograms per capita per year or the
equivalent of 479 thousand tons. This number is up slightly from 1.73 kg / capita in
2009 and amounted to 1.84 kg / capita in 2010 (Rahman, 2012).
In 2010, Indonesia has experienced a decline in potato production by 115.499
tons from 1.176.304 tons (in 2009) to 1.060.805 tons (Central Bureau of Statistics,
2011). Thereby, increased production needs to be done along with the increasing needs
of the potato. But many problems are causing low potato production, among others,
seeds, and seedling junky. To overcome these issues can be used growth regulators
(plant growth regulators).
Growth regulators are organic compounds but not nutrient needed in the least
amount which can support, inhibit, and may alter physiological processes of plants.
Growth regulators can be used to improve the quality of seedling potato. Today,
growth regulators commonly used are synthetic growth regulators that are relatively
expensive and sometimes scarce availability. Alternatives that can be taken are to look
for the types of plants that extract contains bioactive compounds and used as plant
growth regulators. This is certainly not hard to do considering that Indonesia is a
country that is very rich in various types of plants.
Some types of plants such onion, coconut water, beans, banana, bean sprouts,
corn grain suspected to contain bioactive compounds which their extracts may be used
as plant growth regulators. Sandra (2011) suggests that bean sprouts, bananas, onions
containing auxin; beans contain cytokines; coconut water containing auxin, cytokinins
and gibberellins, whereas corn grain containing giberellin (Anonymous, 2011).
However we have not known how much bioactive compound in the plant extract and
whether its effect as good as a synthetic growth regulators.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This experiment was conducted in a screen house experiment in Seed Potato
Research Centre in Malino, South Sulawesi with altitude 1600 m asl.
The experiment was performed by using randomized complete block design.
Plant extract derived from bananas, coconut water, bean sprouts, onions, corn
grain, respectively beans - each mixed with distilled water in the ratio 1:1, blended and
then added with sugar. The mixture was filtered using a cloth. Then fermented to be
stored in sealed opaque. After five days the container lid is opened to release the gas.
Then closed again, and every two days the container lid is opened. Fermentation lasts
up to 15 days. Then do the separation of liquids and solids by centrifuge. Further liquid
extract of plant which is a natural plant growth regulators put in a sealed bottle
protected against light and stored in a refrigerator. The liquid extract applied to potato
seedling by spraying.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1. Height average of potatoes seedling (cm) at the age of one month after sowing
at various treatment plants extract as plant growth regulators
Treatment
Average
Corn
15,87a
Banana
12,60b
Beans
12,57b
Coconut water
10,53b
Bean sprouts
10,33b
Water (control)
3,67c
Onion
3,60c
*) Different letters indicate differences at the level of 5%
Value HSD 0,05
4,17
Table 1 shows that the highest seedling derived from corn extract treatment
significantly different from other treatments.
Table 2. The average number of leaves of potatoes seedling at the age of one
month after sowing at various treatment of plants extract as plant growth
regulators
Treatment
Average
Corn
9,40a
Beans
8,47a
Bean sprouts
8,20a
Coconut water
7,87a
Banana
7.80a
Water (control)
4,87b
Onion
4,27b
*) Different letters indicate differences at the level of 5%
Value HSD 0.05
2,57
Table 2 shows that the highest number of leaves obtained in the treatment of
corn that significantly different from the water and onion extract. But not significantly
different from other treatments. The same is obtained Farhatullah, Abbas and Jaffer
(2007), giberellin giving increased the number of leaves of potato planlets.
Table 3. Average root length (cm) seed potatoes at the age of one month after sowing
at various treatment of plants extracts as plant growth regulators
Treatment
Average
Corn
13,39a
Coconut water
11,22ab
Bean sprouts
10,22ab
Banana
9,89ab
Beans
9,39b
Onion
8,67b
Water
4,83c
*) Different letters indicate differences at the level of 5%
Value HSD 0.05
3,67
Table 3 shows that the longest root seedlings obtained in seedling treated with
extracts of corn and significantly different with other treatments like beans, onion and
water, but no real difference significantly with the ekstract of water coconut, bean
sprouts and bananas. From the results obtained in Tables 1, 2 and 3 shows that extracts
derived from corn gives the best results in all parameters were observed ( height
seedling, leaf number and root length. This is because corn contains giberellin
(Anonymous, 2011). These results are consistent with previous findings that
gibberellins promote the growth of plant height, as in the research conducted by
Mandang and Polii (2003) obtained results that giberellin increase the height of potato
seedling in three potato varieties. Stowe and Yamahi in Weaver (1972) found that
plants that treated by giberellin to be higher than normal plants. Meanwhile
Farhatullah results, Abbas and Abbas (2007) showed giving giberrellin increase the
number of leaves and root length.
Stimulated growth occurring in the tissues and the joints of the younger,
causing long space increased even though the number of segment fixed (Weaver,
1972). Height of seedling rising due to rising allegedly caused of gibereiin treatment
increases cell division and elongation which further increases the number of cells and
the length of the cell. It is appropriate that found in Samolus parviflorus and
Hyoscyamus niger (Sachs 1965) in Lincoln and Zeiger (1991), gibberellins act on
enzymes that weaken the cell walls and encourage the proteolytic enzymes that are
suspected of releasing triptotan precursors of IAA (Indole Acetic Acid). Cell
elongation can occur due to enzymeby gibberellin. As a result, an increase in sugar occurred that would increase the
osmotic pressure of the cell fluid and cause water entry and tends to cause enlargement
of cells (Weaver 1972).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We thank for Prof. Dr. Ir. Baharuddin, Dipl.Ing. who provided experimental facilities.
Thank for Rahman who helped me conducted this experiment in field.
REFERENCES
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Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics and †Institute of Biotechnology
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