COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON RAPID AND COST EFFECTIVE PROPAGATION METHODS AND INITIAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MEDICINAL PLANT Phyllanthus debilis KLIN EX WILLD (EUPHORBIACEAE)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31357/fesympo.v0i0.1330Abstract
Phyllanthus debilis Klein ex Willd. (Sinhala - Elapitawakka) is a widely used annual herbused in Ayurvedic medicine. The main objective of this study was to develop simple andcost effective propagation methods and growth media for initial establishment of P.debilis.
The experimental design was a completely randomized design. Fresh fruit samples at fourdifferent stages (light green, dark green, blackish green and brownish yellow) of maturitywere used to determine the best maturity stage that gives the highest percentage. Seedsobtained from blackish green fruits gave the highest percentage germination (92 %) whengrown on wet filter paper. Percentage of seed germination in dark green and brownishyellow fruits on wet filter paper were 26 % and 65 % respectively and 22 % and 12 %respectively when coir dust: sand (1: I) medium was used. Seeds obtained from light greenfruits did not germinate. Upper and lower stem cuttings of P. debi/is showed very lowpercentage success 2 % and 7 % respectively. Seed moisture content was determined usingfour seed samples (n = 100) dried at 103·C for 17 hours. The average moisture content of aseed was 15 ± 1 %. Hence it can be regarded as an "intermediate" seed type. The seed.viability was tested at weekly intervals for nine weeks. The highest percentage ofgermination (82 %) was observed in one-week-old seeds. Seed viability decreasedgradually over the nine-week period and none of the seeds germinated after nine weeks ofstorage. Nine different potting media were tested for the initial establishment of P. debi/is.Plants grown (n = 20) in the medium comprising top soil: compost: sand (1: I: I)performed well in terms of plant height, leaf number and root collar diameter than in theother potting media.
Financial Assistance provided by Sri Lanka Conservation and Sustainable Use ofMedicinal Plants Project is gratefully acknowledged.
