ISHS Acta Horticulturae 238: Symposium on Substrates in Horticulture other than Soils in situ
INFLUENCE OF pH AND BICARBONATE CONTENT OF NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS ON GROWTH OF CELERY SEEDLINGS CULTIVATED IN PEAT-BASED MEDIA. |
| Authors: | J. Masson, N. Tremblay, A. Gosselin |
| Abstract:
Celery seedlings were sown in multicellular trays containing a commercial peat-based medium and grown in a growth chamber. They were fertilized daily with nutrient solutions adjusted to pH 5.50, 6.35 or 7.20 in factorial combination with bicarbonate (HCO3) concentration of 0, 500 or 1000 mg/liter. Growth parameters were measured 45 days after seeding. Specific leaf area increased with pH or bicarbonate concentration. Increasing pH had a positive or a negative effect on leaf area when bicarbonate was respectively absent or at its maximum concentration. Shoot dry weight was reduced by an increase in pH, but only when bicarbonate was present. Bicarbonate enhanced root dry weight, especially at intermediate pH. Percentage of shoot dry matter was negatively correlated to pH and bicarbonate concentration. It is recommended that pH be reduced to 5.50 when 500 mg/liter of bicarbonate are present in the nutrient solution. | |
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