3. Results
3.1. Plant growth and yield
Both the growth and the yield of C. asiatica were significantly
improved with conjunctive use of CT and inorganic fertiliser
(T6=CT50 +NPK50) applied at 50% of the recommended concentration
(Table 3). There was a strong and significant positive
interaction between the 50% recommended concentration of CT
and 50% NPK applied together as compared to their respective full
concentrations applied separately (T2 and T4).
Leaves constitute the bulk of the herbage used in the treatment
of varioushumanailments, and the results clearly demonstrate that
the number of leaves was significantly increased by conjunctive use
of CT50 +NPK50 over the control, whereas differences among the
rest of the treatments were cryptic and insignificant (Table 3).
Treatment effects on petiole length, leaf length and leaf width
were significant, with the treatment receiving conjunctive application
of CT and NPK at 50% giving the highest values, whereas the
control treatment gave the lowest values. The highest leaf area of
31.0cm2 was observed with the CT50 +NPK50 treatment, whereas a
leaf area of only 8.29cm2 was obtained in the control. The highest
specific leaf area (253cm2 g−1) was obtained in the control treatment,
whereas lower specific leaf areas were recorded in all other
treatments. The application of nutrients in any form promoted
the formation of thicker leaves than in the non-fertilised plants
(Table 3).
The conjunctive application of NPK and CT at 50% dosage produced
the highest leaf dry weight, followed by the individual
application of NPK (NPK100), whereas the lowest leaf dry weight
was recorded in the control. A similar pattern was observed for
rosette diameter. The number of nodes in which rooting took place
was found to be at its maximum in treatments receiving the conjunctive
application of CT50 and NPK50, followed by the application
of full concentrations of NPK100 or CT100 alone, whereas the lowest
number of nodes was observed in treatments in which no fertiliser
was applied. The conjunctive application of CT50 +NPK50 also produced
the longest roots, and was closely followed by NPK100 alone,
whereas the shortest roots were obtained in the control. A similar
trend was also observed for root dry weight.