Morphophysiological and anatomical studies on moringa (Moringa oliefera L.).

Two pot experiments were carried at the Experimental farm of the Botany Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, Qlubia Governorate and AgriculturalBotany Department, Fac. of Agricultural, Assiut, ALAzhar Univ, Egypt, during two successive seasons of 2015 and 2016. The aim of this work was to study the effect of foliar application with benzyladenine (BA) at (25, 50 and 100 mgl-1), paclobutrazol (pp33) at (5, 10 and 20 mgl -1), algae extract at (5,10 and 20 ml-1),mineral nutrients (Ca, Mg and Fe chelated) at 500 mgl-1 and lithovit at 500 mgl-1 on some morphological, physiological and anatomical characteristics of Moringa oliefera plant at 90 and 180 days after sowing. The obtained results indicated that the foliar application of benzyl adenine (100 mgl-1), lithovit (500 mgl-1), algae extract (20 ml-l) and mineral elements (Ca, Mg and Fe) at 500 mgl-1 significantly increased all the studied morphological parameters i.e., stem length, leavesnumber and leaf area/plant-1 as well as dry weight of roots, stems and leaves at different ages (90 and 180 days after sowing) during the two growth seasons. On the contrary, these measured morphological characteristics were significantly decreased with paclobutrazol treatment in both two seasons compared with the control treatment. Also, foliar application with all used treatments increased physiological characteristics of moringa leaves represented as photosynthetic pigments content (chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids), antioxidant activity, total phenolic and total flavonoids & flavonols concentration compared with the control plants. Results also showed that foliar spray treatments with benzyl adenine (100 mgl-1) followed by lethovit (500 mgl-1), algae extract (20 ml-1), paclobutrazol (20 mgl-1) respectively were the most effective in this respect. Results revealed that different anatomical characteristics of moringa leaflet and stem were positively responded in the two stages of growth. Add to the obtained data showed that the mosttrait sofmoringa leaflet anatomical characteristics were increased with different applied treatments, especially with paclobutrazol (PP333) at 20mgl -1, algae extractat 20mll-1and lithovitat 500 mgl-1 respectively compared with the control treatment in the two stages. The anatomical characteristics of the leaves were increased i.e, increasing thickness of palisade and spongy tissues as well as thickness of leaflet lamina. Also, the increasing of number and diameter of xylem vessels arch-1 led to increase in the vascular bundle thickness. More over the increasing of number and larger of xylem vessels arch-1and number of vascular bundles led for increasing the thicknesses of midrib at 90 or 180 days after sowing comparing to control treatment. The results showed that the increasing of stem diameter was a result for increasing the thickness of cuticle, epidermis, cortex, phloem and xylem tissues, cambial region, number of xylem vessels arch-1, number of xylem arches vascular bundle-1, number & diameter of the vascular bundles and pith in the stemat the two stages. Generally, in this study the morphological and physiological characteristics of Moringa oleifera were recorded the highest values with benzyladenine (100mgl-1). At the same time, the best anatomical characteristics were recorded with the foliar application of paclobutrazol (PP333) at 20mgl -1at 90 or 180 days after sowing at the same field conditions.