Effect of Gamma Irradiated Sodium Alginate on Malabar Spinach (Basella alba) and Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) as Plant Growth Promoter

Abstract

Aqueous solution of sodium alginate (3% w/v) was irradiated by gamma radiation at various doses (5-50 kGy). These solutions were diluted to 1500 ppm and applied on malabar spinach (Basella alba) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea) to study the growth promotion behavior of sodium alginate. Viscosity and molecular weight of the irradiated sodium alginate was found to decrease with increasing radiation dose. Changes in morphological characteristics of those plants in different unit plots were found which is correlated with the use of sodium alginate. The dry matter (32.5%), plant height (33.55%), root length (27.36%), number of leaf (27.27%) were increased compared to the control vegetative plant production, when malabar spinach was nourished by sodium alginate irradiated at 12 kGy. In case of spinach; dry matter (320%), plant height (53.62%), root length (39.92%) and number of leaf (95.45%) were increased when nourished by sodium alginate irradiated at 20kGy.