Chitosan improves growth and bulb yield of pineapple lily (Eucomis bicolor Baker) an ornamental and medicinal plant

The wide demand for natural biostimulants encourages the search for new, alternative sources of substances with high biological activity. Chitosan can promote plant growth and root system development, enhance photosynthetic activity, increase nutrient and metabolite content. Eucomis bicolor, commonly known as the ‘pineapple lily’, is not widely known in terms of cultivation and biological activity. The aim of the experiment was to determine the effect of chitosan on growth of Eucomis bicolor. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to describe the effect of chitosan on morphological features of Eucomis bicolor. The results showed that soaking Eucomis bicolor bulbs in a chitosan solution before planting has stimulated the growth, flowering and yield of bulbs. Treating the plants with chitosan at 50 mg/L had the most beneficial effect on the number of leaves per plant, the relative chlorophyll content in the leaves as well as the number of bulbs per plant. Chitosan has a multi-directional, positive effect on plant growth and can be used as a potential biostimulant.