Abstract
Three fundamental different media 3 pine bark (≤ 6mm): 1 sphagnum peat moss:l concrete grade sand; 2 loamy soil: 1 peat moss: 1 perlíte; and a peat-lite mix, (Metro Mix 350) were characterized by available water-holding capacity, bulk density and particle size distribution. All 3 media provided adequate water-holding capacities for container production of ‘Eckespoint C-1 Red’ and ‘Annette Hegg Diva’ poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima Klotzsch ex. Willd.). Total porosity declined and bulk density increased in all media 9 weeks after potting due to shrinkage but there were no additional changes after an additional 4 weeks. Airspace and water buffering capacities did not change during the 13-week period indicating the loss in total porosity resulted in a loss of easily available water. Water release had linear and nonlinear components with respect to moisture tension. Poinsettia root systems appeared to be extensive throughout the growing media; root distributions varied with cultivar and medium.
Preharvest gibberellic acid (GA) applications at 10 ppm in 0.1% L-77 (v/v) surfactant or 20 ppm in 0.05% L-77 (v/v) caused `Marsh' grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macf.) to be significantly more resistant to puncture and significantly delayed yellow color development. There was no difference between the two GA rates and applications in July were not found to be as effective as August or September applications. There was an overall significant increase in peel oil content in flavedo tissue as a result of GA treatment, but no significant difference between GA treatments. Limonin contents in GA-treated grapefruit albedo tissue were generally higher at both GA levels than in control fruit. GA treatments had no effect on juice quality characteristics and there was no difference in taste preference between GA-treated and control fruit. Because citrus fruit are resistant to attack by tephritid fruit flies prior to the occurrence of peel senescence and GA delays peel senescence, GA treatment should provide a biorational addition to existing fruit fly control strategies.
Abstract
Bulk density (BD) of potting media increased as the percentage of sand was increased in the medium. Because of the “fitting” together of particles, volume of medium mixtures was always less than the total volume of the separate components. Particle size distribution was determined most accurately on a volume basis and was used to identify the potting mixtures. The percentage of medium components (bark or sand) retained on any given sieve size could be determined from BD data. Percolation rate, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) declined as the percentage of sand was increased in the potting mixture. CEC was most accurately determined on a volume basis. Increasing the percentage of sand in the potting medium raised pH from 4.1 to 5.4.
Seedlings of Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don `Pacifica Red' were transplanted into substrates composed of either 80% sphagnum peat or coir with the remaining volume being perlite, sand, or vermiculite. The six substrates were inoculated with Pythium irregulare Buisman at 0 or 50,000 oospores per 10-cm container. The containers were irrigated daily to maintain moisture levels near container capacity. No visually apparent symptoms of infection or significant differences in shoot and root fresh and dry weights were observed among the uninoculated substrates and the inoculated coir substrates. Inoculated peat substrates had an 80% infection rate and significantly reduced shoot and root fresh and dry weights as compared to uninoculated substrates. Seedlings of C. roseus were transplanted into pasteurized and unpasteurized substrates composed of 80% (v/v) coir or sphagnum peat with the remaining 20% being perlite. Substrates were inoculated with 0, 5000, or 20,000 oospores of P. irregulare per 10-cm container. No visually apparent symptoms of infection or significant differences in shoot and root fresh and dry weights were observed among the uninoculated substrates and the inoculated pasteurized coir. The inoculated pasteurized peat substrate, inoculated unpasteurized peat substrate, and the inoculated unpasteurized coir substrate grown plants had an 88% infection and a significant reduction in the shoot and root fresh and dry weights.
Dark Brown) sandy loam soil over soil with properties similar to that in Expt. 1 ( Wittneben, 1986 ). Trees of ‘Granny Smith’/‘M.9’ were planted in Apr. 2000 at a spacing of 0.9 × 3.5 m (3175 trees/ha) and trained as super spindle. Four treatments were
Physical characteristics of two media were studied concerning water availability to roots, as reflected in specific transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and specific growth rate of very young leaflets of `Kardinal' rose (Rosa ×hybrida L.), grafted on Rosa canina L. `Natal Brier'. Plants were grown in UC mix [42% composted fir bark, 33% peat, and 25% sand (by volume)] or in coconut coir. Water release curves of the media were developed and hydraulic conductivities were calculated. Irrigation pulses were actuated according to predetermined media moisture tensions. Transpiration rate of plants was measured gravimetrically using load cells. Specific transpiration rate (STR) was calculated from these data and leaf area. STR and stomatal conductance were also determined using a steady-state porometer. Specific growth rate (RSG) of young leaflets was calculated from the difference between metabolic heat rate and respiration rate, which served as an indicator for growth potential. Low STR values found at tensions between 0 and 1.5 kPa in UC mix suggest this medium has insufficient free air space for proper root activity within this range. Above 2.3 kPa, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of UC mix was lower than that of coir, possibly lowering STR values of UC mix-grown plants. As a result of these two factors, STR of plants grown in coir was 20% to 30% higher than that of plants grown in UC mix. STR of coir-grown plants started to decline only at tensions around 4.5 kPa. Yield (number of flowers produced) by coir-grown plants was 19% higher than UC mix-grown plants. This study demonstrated the crucial role of reaching sufficient air-filled porosity in the medium shortly after irrigation. It also suggests that hydraulic conductivity is a more representative measure of water availability than tension.
Abstract
The physical and water-release characteristics of a gasifier residue in combination with bark, Canadian sphagnum peat, and sand were determined. Both gasifier residue and peat had characteristics more favorable for plant growth than bark or sand alone. The combination of gasifier residue and peat produced characteristics superior to gasifier residue or peat alone. Gasifier residue and combinations of gasifier residue and peat had almost twice the available water of a standard nursery medium. The addition of sand or bark decreased the performance of gasifier residue in a number of physical parameters. Unsieved gasifier residue had a particle size distribution suitable for container plant production.
Abstract
Physical characteristics were determined for 5 potting media composed of varying ratios of Florida sedge peat and pine bark subjected to compaction pressures of 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, or 0.3 kg/cm2. Percent noncapillary pore space decreased as compaction pressure and amount of peat in the mixture increased, while water holding capacity by volume increased with peat addition and compaction pressure. Top growth of Pilea pubescens ‘Silver Tree’ in compacted media was generally as good as in noncompacted media, but root growth was restricted.
Abstract
Equal volumes of peanut hulls, pine bark, and sphagnum peatmoss were combined into 5 media. Particle size distribution, total porosity, air space, easily available water, water buffering capacity, and bulk density were determined for each medium. Top dry weight, root dry weight, and percent growth of Rhododendron indicum (L.) Sweet cv. George L. Taber were measured 14 weeks after potting in 1-liter containers. Peanut hulls increased particle size, total porosity, and air space, and decreased easily available water, water buffering capacity, and bulk density of media. Peatmoss generally reduced total porosity and air space and increased easily available water, water buffering capacity, and bulk density regardless of other component combinations. Top dry weight, root dry weight, and percent growth were greater in peanut hull-containing media. Addition of peatmoss to the container media tended to produce less growth.
Five container substrates—3 pine bark (PB) : 1 peat (PT) : 1 sand (SD), 3 PB : 1 recycled paper (RP) : 1 SD, 2 PB : 2 RP : 1 SD, 3 vermiculite (VM) : 1 RP : 1 SD, and 2VM : 2 RP : 1 SD—were used to grow rose-of-sharon (Hibiscus syracus L. `Double Purple') and forsythia (Forsythia ×intermedia Zab. `Lynwood Gold') for 4.5 months. The control substrate (3 PB:1 PT:1 SD) had higher concentrations of NH4 * in leachate than other substrates at each of four sample times during the growing season except 4 Aug. Leaf number and leaf area per plant and height of rose-of-sharon were greater and the leaf area per leaf was smaller in all substrates containing recycled paper than in substrates without recycled paper. Forsythia plants had greater stem and root dry weights and were taller in substrata without recycled paper than plants in substrates with recycled paper. Processed recycled paper is a possible component for container nursery plant production, but further testing on a large number of species is needed before widespread implementation.