Browsing by Author "Zanamwe, Pesanai"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The effects of gibberellic acid and short-day treatments on growth and flowering of Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Breeze cassus
    (Horticultural Association of Kenya (HAK), 2023-10-21) Zanamwe, Pesanai; Tong, Rene
    Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Breeze cassus that is widely grown as a commercial pot plant in South Africa grow short and branch poorly under the usual photoperiodic conditions. It was hypothesised that understanding the effects of gibberellic acid(GA3), a plant hormone that promotes flowering and stem elongation in plants, may aid in improving its quality. To study this, the vegetative growth and flowering characteristics of Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Breeze cassus plants treated with GA3 once, i.e., three weeks after transplanting, GA3twice, i.e., three and five weeks after transplanting, gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor, daminozide, and short-day photo period were evaluated. Data was collected on plant height, number of branches per plant, time to flowering, flower buds per plant and flower size and subjected to analysis of variance. Plants treated with a short day photoperiod flowered early compared to the control. However, the plant height and flower buds per plant were significantly (p <0.05) reduced. The final plant height of short-day photoperiod and daminozide treated plants were not statistically (p > 0.05) different. Both GA3treatmentssignificantly(p < 0.05) increased plant height compared to the control, daminozide and short-day photoperiod treated plants. Plants treated with GA3 twice were significantly(p < 0.05) taller compared to plants treated with GA3 once. Treatment with GA3, either once or twice, had no effect on time to flowering, however, treating plants with GA3once,significantly increased flower buds and treating plants with GA3twice significantly increased flower diameter compared to the control. It was noted that treatment of Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Breeze cassus with short-day photoperiod and GA3have different effects on plant growth and flowering. It was, therefore, concluded that, although GA3increasesplant height of Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Breeze cassus, it may not replace short day photoperiod treatment where early flowering is desired.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The effect of pre-soaking common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) seeds in gibberellic acid solution on germination and seedling growth
    (Horticultural Association of Kenya (HAK), 2024-12-01) Zanamwe, Pesanai; Tembo, Lenon; Madzaramba, Tendai Hardwork
    Poor seed germination and early seedling growth often limit common bean production. Pre-treatment with plant hormones, such as gibberellic acid (GA3), can improve germination and seedling vigour in many plants. However, its effects on common bean seeds are not well understood. This study evaluated GA3’s potential to promote germination and seedling growth in common beans. Laboratory germination tests and greenhouse trials were conducted using two varieties, Gloria and Nua45. Seed from each variety was divided into two groups and the other group was soaked in 60 ml/L GA3 solution for 5 min and the other group was left untreated and used as a control. Treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design with three technical and two biological replicates. Data on germination percentage were collected every 24 hours for 120 h, along with measurements of rootlet length, seedling vigour indices, root length, shoot length, and dry weight. Results indicated that GA3-treated Nua45 seeds had significantly higher germination percentages than untreated seeds after 48, 72, and 96 h, while treated Gloria seeds showed lower germination than untreated seeds within the same time frames. By 120 h, both treated and untreated seeds of both varieties reached a minimum of 90% germination. Nua45 seeds treated with GA3 showed significantly greater rootlet length (5.29 cm) than untreated seeds (4.12 cm), while Gloria seeds showed no significant difference in rootlet length between treated (2.49 cm) and untreated seeds (2.86 cm). For Nua45, GA3-treated seedlings had higher shoot length (46.7 cm), dry weight (4.10 g), and seedling vigour index II (3.7) than untreated seedlings (28.5 cm, 2.34 g, and 2.25, respectively). In contrast, untreated Gloria seedlings had greater root length (35.1 cm) than treated seedlings (14.4 cm), with no shoot length difference. These findings suggest that pre-soaking Nua45 seeds in GA3 solution enhances germination and growth, while pre-soaking Gloria seeds reduces them. These findings suggest a hormone-genotype interaction effect warranting further study.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    User perceptions and acceptance of treated greywater reuse in low-income communities: a narrative review
    (IWA Publishing, 2023-11-01) Madzaramba, Tendai Hardwork; Zanamwe, Pesanai
    This research output established that a significant proportion of the global population lives in low-income communities mostly in the Global South. These communities face severe water scarcity and persistent sanitation challenges. It emerged that greywater reuse has the potential to improve the access to sufficient clean water in low-income communities. The study sought to ascertain user perceptions and acceptance of treated greywater reuse in low-income communities. To anchor this research, a comprehensive consultation of literature was done, and key sources of data were drawn from various secondary sources of data such as bibliographic databases. This was followed by the snowballing of obtained papers. The research employed a narrative review approach in methodology. The findings of this study indicate that people living in low-income communities have a positive perception regarding reusing treated greywater. Furthermore, it was established that the majority of persons living in low-income communities accept reuse for non-potable purposes including vegetable irrigation, laundry, toilet flushing, and car washing.