<![CDATA[The growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) are constrained by abiotic and biotic stresses, necessitating sustainable approaches to improve crop performance. Cnidoscolus aconitifolius leaf extract, rich in bioactive phytochemicals, has potential as a natural biostimulant for enhancing maize growth. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of C. aconitifolius leaf extract on the growth of maize. The experiment was conducted using a two-factor Completely Randomized Design (CRD), with solvent type (aqueous, ethanol, methanol, and butanol) and extract concentration (0, 25, 50, and 100 mg/L) as the experimental factors. The results showed that maize treated with C. aconitifolius leaf extract prepared using 70% ethanol at 50 mg/L exhibited the highest shoot fresh weight (455.0 g), shoot dry weight (319.1 g), and 100-grain weight (40.2 g). The 70% ethanol extract applied at 25 mg/L produced the greatest leaf number (14) and root fresh weight (202.5 g). In contrast, the highest plant height (199.4 cm) was recorded in plants treated with the 70% methanol extract at 50 mg/L. The greatest root dry weight (102.5 g) was observed in the control treatment, whereas the highest total number of grains per cob (563.7) was obtained with the aqueous extract applied at 25 mg/L. Keywords: biostimulant, chaya, maize, plant extract]]>
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