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Recycled paper pellets in the bottom of containers were evaluated for retention of N from container leachate. `Formosa' azalea were transplanted on 15 Apr. in 2.8-L containers in a pine bark/peat substrate (3:1; v/v). Treatments included paper (0 or 2.5 cm depth) in the bottom of containers and two rates of Osmocote 18–6–12 (0.68 kg or 1.36 kg N/yd3). Immediately after transplanting, plants were topdressed with 3.2 g of 12–4–6 fertilizer. Data collected included leachate samples every 2 weeks for NO3-N and NH4-N levels and destructive sampling every 4 weeks for shoot dry weight, foliar N, and total paper N. Nitrate-N and NH4-N leachate concentrations were reduced with the 0.68 kg N/yd3 fertilizer rate and with paper. For example, 28 days after planting (DAP) NO3-N leachate concentrations were reduced 36% with the 0.68 kg N/yd3 fertilizer rate and 46% with paper in the bottom of containers. NH4-N in the leachates was reduced 53% with the 0.68 kg N/yd3 fertilizer rate and 59% with paper. Azalea shoot dry weight was not affected by paper or fertilizer rate up to 112 DAP; however, as the study progressed, plants with paper in the bottom of containers grew larger than plants in no paper treatments (29% at 168 DAP, 31% at 196 DAP). Total N absorbed by paper was not affected by fertilizer rate, and peaked at 168 DAP [980 (0.68 kg N/yd3) to 1066 (1.36 kg N/yd3) mg per container, or 41% – 28% of applied N], after which it began to decline. This decline in paper N was associated with greater growth of azalea with paper.

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The use of an iron chelate, Fe-DTPA, has been associated with an Fe toxicity disorder affecting the leaves of cutting geranium, Pelargonium × hortorum. In previous research Fe concentrations in medium leachates were higher than applied Fe-DTPA. The blank chelate DTPA has been shown to be an effective extractor of micronutrients from soilless media. Plants were grown in a controlled environment chamber at 22C and 16HR photoperiod, in a peat-based medium. In experiment 1 treatments of 0, 0.2 and 2 mM DTPA were applied to the growth medium and in experiment 2 treatments of 0, 0.02 and 0.2 mM DTPA and Fe-DTPA were used. Tissue and leachates were analyzed for Fe concentrations. Leachates of experiment 1 revealed that 2 mM DTPA extracted up to 1.79 mM Fe for the first week and then decreased to 0.3 mM while 0.2 mM DTPA extracted Fe in concentrations that generally increased during the experiment to 0.3 mM. In experiment 2 leachate concentrations of Fe from the 0.02 mM DTPA and Fe-DTPA treatments were similar and increased from 0.02 mM to 0.035 mM. The 0.2 mM Fe-DTPA increased from 0.14 mM to 0.26 mM while the 0.2 mM DTPA decreased from 0.17 mM to 0.054 mM. The 0 treatment of both experiments had 0.0027 mM Fe in the leachates. The tissue analysis of experiment 1 was inconclusive. Experiment 2 revealed no differences in weight and no difference in the total amount of Fe accumulated by the plants. This indicates that the practice of using Fe-DTPA, which increases the amount of potentially available Fe, may be a causal factor in geraniums accumulating toxic levels of Fe.

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Five common sources of perlite used in the North American horticultural industry were tested for their release of fluoride during five successive teachings with pH 5.2 sodium phosphate buffer (1 cc perlite/ml buffer). Soluble fluoride in the first leachate ranged from 0.05 to 0.8 mg/l and in the fifth leachate from 0.01 to 0.18 mg/l. Lilium Asiatic hybrids `Pixie Grange' and `Sunray', Chlorophytum comosum (Thumb.) Jacques `Variegatum', and Gibasis pellucida (Martens & Gal.) D. Hunt `Bridal Veil' were. grown in sphagnum peat moss plus perlite substrates ranging up to 50% perlite and at substrate pH levels from 4.6 to 7.0. No fluoride toxicity occurred in these crops in any treatments. The precaution against the use of perlite in substrates used for growing fluoride sensitive crops needs to be reconsidered.

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Four sweetpotato breeding lines were tested for their sodium tolerance in sand culture. All plants were grown in the greenhouse in sterilized sand and watered daily with a modified half-Hoagland solution (N: K-1:2:4). Four sodium levels (0, 35, 70, and 105 ppm) were applied to the breeding lines in a split-plot design with four replications. Soil leachate was collected every 2 days and was measured for P, Na concentration, and electrical conductivity. Plants were grown for 60 days. Preliminary results from analysis of soil leachate showed an increase in EC as sodium concentration increased 5 days after treatments were initiated. Potassium and Na concentration varied with each breeding line tested. Storage root fresh and dry weight were significantly affected by Na levels (i.e., lines tested were tolerant ≤70 ppm Na).

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Abstract

Dwarf Japanese euonymus (Euonymus japonica Thunb. ‘Microphylla’) and Japanese holly (Ilex crenata Thunb. ‘Compacta’), grown in fresh or aged (1 year) pine bark amended with a slow-release complete fertilizer, were supplied with NH4NO3 weekly at 0, 100, 200, or 300 ppm N. Plant growth, foliar color, leaf tissue N, and leachate soluble salts increased with increasing levels of supplemental N while tissue K, Ca, and Mg decreased. Plant growth, foliar color, and leaf tissue N, P, Ca, and Mg in fresh pine bark equaled or exceeded that in aged pine bark at all levels of supplemental N. Leachate soluble salts, pH, and leaf tissue K was higher in aged pine bark.

Open Access

The influence of intermittent and continuous irrigation on the growth, substrate nutrient accumulation and leaching from container-grown marigolds was determined. During a three week period. Tagetes erecta L. `Apollo' in a pine bark substrate received 12 irrigations. Each irrigation allotment was applied intermittently (multiple applications) or continuously (single application). Irrigation occurred when bark reached a targeted water content; irrigation water contained a complete nutrient solution. Leachates were cumulatively collected for each container and analyzed for N; plant dry weight. size, and nutrient composition were determined. Compared to continuously irrigated plants, intermittently irrigated plants had 43% greater root dry weight, 0.7% greater N concentration, and 43% more N leached from the substrate. Shoot mass. size. K, and P concentrations, substrate (pour-through extraction) and leachate N concentration were unaffected by irrigation method. Results demonstrated that. compared to conventional irrigation practices, intermittent irrigation was an effective method to reduce fertilizer effluent and increase N absorption for container-grown plants.

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Rooted cuttings of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch cv. Gutbier V-14 Glory were planted in 2-liter containers with growth media having 0% to 75% composted cotton burrs (CCB) in combination with sphagnum peat and/or composted pine bark. Leachates from media with 50% or more CCB had higher initial electrical conductance (EC) (3.7 to 4.0 dS·m-l) than that from media with 25% or no CCB (2.8 to 3.0 dS·m-l) 2 weeks after planting. The differences in leachate EC declined after an additional 9 weeks. Media containing CCB produced slightly shorter and narrower plants with 10% smaller inflorescences and less dry weight than plants grown in a medium consisting of equal volumes of peatmoss and bark. Number of branches and bracts, days to bloom, and plant grade after 30 days under 15 μmol·s-l· m-2 photosynthetic photon flux were unaffected by media.

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Abstract

The high variability in physiologically different stages of leaves and susceptibility of pecan [Carya illinoensis (Wangenh.) C. Koch] cultivars to the pecan scab [Cladosporium caryigenum (Ell. et Lang) Gottwald] fungus prompted an evaluation of phylloplane-associated substances (PASs) that influence fungal conidia germination. Germination of conidia was evaluated in several TLC fractions derived from water or dichloromethane leachates of the phylloplane of pecan leaves. Reciprocal tests of pecan scab conidia isolated from ‘Schley’ and ‘Stuart’ against phylloplane leachates from both ‘Schley’ and ‘Stuart’ were conducted. Several PASs proved to have either inhibitory, neutral, or promotive effects on conidia germination. 5-hydroxy-1,4-napthoquinone (juglone) was identified as one such substance and was observed to be a strong inhibitor of conidia germination, but had no effect on colony growth or sporulation. The susceptibility of pecan foliage to pecan scab appears to be partially dependent on phylloplane composition.

Open Access

Concerns relating to pollution from nitrogen fertilizers leaching into ground water are increasing. This is especially important in southern Florida because the pollution threatens fragile ecosystems in Biscayne Bay, and the two National Parks that abut agricultural areas. The current research is focused on the development of an automatic system which can monitor NO 3 and NH 4 + leaching from plant nursery pots. NO 3 and NH 4 + electrodes and a load cell were used for real-time measurements of NO 3 , NH 4 + , and leachate volume. The leachate was directed to pass the sensing areas of NO 3 , reference, pH, and NH 4 + electrodes. It was collected and weighed in a container placed on a load cell. The analog signals from the electrodes and load cell were digitized through data acquisition technology using a 16-bit A/D converter and a self-developed software program. With this system the volume of the leachate and concentrations of NO 3 and NH 4 + in the leachate were determined in situ. Based on this design, the dynamics of NO 3 and NH 4 + leaching from pots can be observed. This system can be used to 1) determine soil (or media) holding capacity of NO 3 and NH 4 + , 2) evaluate the effects of nitrogen fertilizer formulations on water quality, 3) develop best management practices of nitrogen application in containerized plant production, and 4) determine the soil-holding capacity to optimize the use of water. The advantages of the developed system are 1) low labor cost for sample collection and analysis and 2) high measurement resolution resulting from a minimization errors that occur during sampling and other manual operations.

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A leach collection unit (LCU) was assembled to capture all leachate draining from a nursery container. An injection molded 2.8-L nursery container was plastic welded into the lid of a 7.6-L black plastic collection bucket so that the bottom 2.5 cm of the nursery container protruded through the lid. The LCU was designed to track total N release from CRFs without confounding effects of plant uptake or N immobilization. Total N released between any two sampling periods is determined by multiplying the N concentration in a leachate subsample × total leachate volume. The LCU were placed in a container nursery area with overhead irrigation. LCU were thoroughly leached before sampling the leach solution. To study the effects of substrate on N leach rates, Osmocote 18.0N–2.6P–9.9K (8 to 9 months 21 °C) was incorporated at 1.8 kg N/m3 using a locally available, bark-based substrate or medium-grade quartz sand. The experiment was conducted at Scotts Research locations in Apopka, Fla., and Marysville, Ohio. Osmocote incorporated into either a bark-based substrate or sand resulted in similar N release profiles. Although substrate did not affect N leach rate, quartz sand was recommended as the substrate in the leach collection system for polymer-coated CRFs. Quartz sand is chemically and biologically inert, does not immobilize nutrients and has low ion exchange capacity compared to bark-based potting substrates. More than 90% of the total nitrogen applied from Osmocote was recovered from leachate and unreleased N in fertilizer granules. This research has demonstrated the leach collection system as a reliable means to quantify nitrogen release rate of a polymer-coated CRF under nursery conditions. The LCU, when used with a crop plant, allows nutrient budget and nutrient uptake efficiency to be determined for CRFs.

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