comparative study on growth, yield and chemical composition of datura metel L growth in different soil types

ABSTRACT

The present study was carried out during two successive seasons to evaluate the response of Datura metel L. grown in three soil type's clay loam, calcareous and sandy soil. The results could be summarized as follows 1. Plants cultivated in clay loam soil induced the tallest plants, the highest number of branches and leaves as well as the highest fresh and dry weight. Meanwhile, the differences in fresh and dry weight between plants grown in the calcareous soil and these grown in sandy soil narrowed at flowering and fruiting stage. 2. Photosynthetic pigments tended to increase for plants grown in both calcareous and sandy soil compared with those of clay loam. 3. Alkaloid contents in Datura leaves were the highest in plants grown in sandy soil, meanwhile slight differences in alkaloid contents were observed between plants grown in clay loam and those grown in calcareous soil. 4. The concentration of each N, P, K and Fe was the highest in Datura leafs cultivated in clay loam soil. 5. The concentration of each Mg, Mn and Zn increased in Datura leaves grown in calcareous soil, meanwhile Fe tended to decrease