The Physiological Parameters of Three Cordyline terminalis Cultivars as Influenced by Substrate and Deficit Irrigation

Abstract

The effect of different substrates and deficit-irrigation intervals were explored on the physiological parameters of 3 Cordyline terminalis cultivars in a factorial experiment with 3 factors including 4 substrates, 3 irrigation intervals (2, 7, and 10 days) and 3 cultivars (green, red, and tricolor) in 3 replications. The results showed that plants had the highest growth under the irrigation interval of 2 days and the lowest growth under the irrigation interval of 10 days. The highest growth was obtained from plants grown in garden soil, and among cultivars, “tricolor” exhibited the highest growth, plant height, and leaf number. The interaction between substrate and irrigation interval revealed that plants grown in garden soil and irrigated every other day produced the highest chlorophyll and carotenoid content. Trilateral effects of “substrate × irrigation interval × cultivar” indicated that the highest catalase activity was related to “garden soil + perlite × irrigation interval of 10 days × Green.”