Influence of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes and Biostimulators on Growth and Content of Bioactive Constituents of Karkade (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.)

This work was carried out to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), 0, 500, and 1000 mg/L, and biostimulators (Delfan plus), 0 and 10 ml/L, and their interactions (sprayed on the plant shoot and soil until the complete wetness) on growth and production of bioactive constituents of karkade ( Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) planted in plastic pots. After finishing experiment, growth parameters (length of shoot and root, number of leaves, branches, and fruits, chlorophyll content, and dry weight of calyces yield) were measured and also the active compounds of aqueous extracts calyces were measured by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The obtained results explained that the experimental treatment caused a significant increase in all measured parameters. GC-MS analysis shows quantitative and qualitative alterations of bioactive constituents of water extract from calyxes of karkade, where plant production of 60 active compounds at the combination of 1000 mg/L of MWCNT and 10 ml/L of Delfan plus was compared to untreated plants which produced 4 only.