Plant Growth Dynamics of Statice (Limonium sinuatum L.) Influenced by Fertilization and 6-Benzylaminopurine Application

The present investigation was conducted at the Experimental Farm, Division of Floriculture and Landscaping, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Main Campus, Chatha, Jammu and Kashmir, during 2024–2025. The experiment was laid out in a factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD) comprising 16 treatment combinations, each replicated thrice. The treatments consisted of four fertilization regimes: F₁, 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF; 150:125:75 kg NPK ha⁻¹); F₂, 75% RDF + humic acid (HA) at 5 g m⁻²; F₃, 50% RDF + HA at 10 g m⁻²; and F₄, 25% RDF + HA at 15 g m⁻², along with four concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP): B₁, control (no application); B₂, 50 ppm; B₃, 100 ppm; and B₄, 150 ppm. The results revealed that the application of 75% RDF supplemented with HA at 5 g m⁻² resulted in the maximum plant height (67.25 cm), plant spread (75.08 cm), shoot fresh weight (260.80 g), root fresh weight (26.85 g) and root: shoot ratio (0.27). In contrast, 100% RDF recorded the highest leaf area (79.55 cm²), chlorophyll content, number of leaves per plant (70.82) and shoot dry weight (66.80 g). Among the BAP treatments, foliar application at 150 ppm was the most effective in improving vegetative growth. Overall, the combination of 75% RDF + HA at 5 g m⁻² and 150 ppm BAP emerged as the most promising treatment combination for enhancing vegetative growth in statice, indicating the potential to reduce mineral fertilizer application while improving plant growth through the integrated use of humic acid and BAP.