Growth and Development of Leaf and Stalk at Various Growth
Stages of Palmyrah Palm (Borassus flabellifer L.)
Abstract
Studies were conducted at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, Tamil Nadu
Agricultural University on the growth pattern of leaf and stalk in different stages of growth
viz; seedling, juvenile, early juvenile and adult (male and female) and observation on rate of
growth of leaf and stalk, time taken for completing the active growth of leaf & stalk and time
taken for successive production of leaf in the five selected palms in each of the above four
categories. The results showed that the rate of growth of leaf was maximum in adult female
followed by adult male and was the least in the seedling stage. It was also observed that
there was an increase in the rate of growth of leaf as the stage of growth of palm was
advanced. Further, it was also noticed that the arresting of leaf growth in all stages of palm
coincided with the initiation of stalk at leaf base. There was a gradual and steady reduction
noticed in the mean number of days taken to complete the active growth of leaf as the
advancement of growth stages of the palms, showing that adult stages of the palm was
found to be active compared to the subsequent stages of growth. Similarly, a gradual reduction
in the mean number of days taken for successive leaf production was noticed, as the growth
stage of the palms advanced. The rate of growth of stalk was found to be faster and maximum
in seedling stage followed by early juvenile, juvenile and adult stages. The rate of growth of
stalk showed a linear and increasing trend coinciding with the developmental stages of the
palm. The mean number of days required for completing the active growth of stalk during
various stages showed a reverse trend to that of active leaf growth, since, the early stages
of palms took less number of days to complete the active growth of stalk compared to the
later or advanced stages. Both early juvenile and seedling stages were found to be active
compared to the subsequent stages of growth.
Keywords: Seedling, juvenile, early juvenile, adult, rate of leaf growth, active growth stage
