ISHS Acta Horticulturae 450: International Symposium Growing Media and Plant Nutrition in Horticulture
EFFECT OF AERATION ON ROOTING AND GROWTH OF ROSES (REFEREED) |
| Authors: | Hans R. Gislerød, R. Baas, M. Warmenhoven, D. Berg |
| Keywords: | alcohol dehydrogenase, growing media, root porosity, volumetric air content |
| Abstract:
Rose cuttings of 'Frisco' and 'Mercedes' were rooted and grown in water culture and rockwool under different oxygen conditions. Aerated water culture and 6.5 cm tension for rockwool increased root number and root length during rooting. Low oxygen availability in the rooting medium increased root porosity and rose alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity. By changing plants from aerated to un-aerated solution the ADH activity increased. After nine days, the enzyme activity (ADH) of these plant roots was below that of plants which had been in un-aerated solution all the time. This indicates that rose plants are able to adapt to unfavorable oxygen conditions within one to two weeks. The shoot growth was usually less during propagation in treatments with low oxygen levels compared to well aerated treatments. When changed from well aerated to un-aerated conditions the root growth was reduced 50%, while the shoot growth was little affected when the plants had a well established root system. | |
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