Effects of chitosan treatments on seedling growth, chitinase activity and flower quality in Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinn. 'Kairyou Wakamurasaki'

The effects of chitosan treatments on seedling growth, chitinase activity, triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) reducing activity and flower quality o f Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinn. 'Kairyou Wakamurasaki' were investigat ed. The application of a soil mix of chitosan (1% w/w) at sowing remarkably enhanced growth, whereas coating seed with 1% chitosan in lactate was rath er ineffective. Chitinase activity and TTC reducing activity following trea tment with chitosan soil mix were significantly higher compared with the un treated control or coating seed treatment. After transplanting, the chitosa n soil treatment resulted in greater shoot length, stem diameter, weight of cut-flowers and increase in number of flowers than in the untreated contro l. Chemical name used: poly-(1 -->4)-beta -0-glucoseamine (chitosan).