EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT SUBSTRATES AND IRRIGATION REGIMES ON CROP AND PLANT-WATER RELATIONSHIPS OF ASPLENIUM NIDUS-AVIS HORT. AND CYCLAMEN PERSICUM MILL.

A drying/recovery cycle in a controlled environment had been previously carried out in order to evaluate the effects of soil water deficits on two physiological parameters: stomatal conductance and leaf water potential. The results indicated that the water status behaviour of Asplenium and Cyclamen plants was different. The data agreed with growth response.

It was noted that the irrigation management in Cyclamen was particularly critical and promoved different crop responses; however in Asplenium the irrigation rate was not so important. The substrates used for Asplenium did not have any different agronomic effects on crop response. Nevertheless in Cyclamen the peat-pine bark-pine leaf mould substrate resulted in better crop response than the peat-parlite mixture.

These results should be taken into consideration when selecting growth media.

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