ISHS Acta Horticulturae 453: IV International Protea Working Group Symposium
EFFECT OF PH ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEUCADENDRON ‘SAFARI SUNSET’ |
| Authors: | R. Canmore-Neumann, A. Silber, B. Mitchnick, S. Gilad, J. Ben-Jaacov |
| Abstract:
Proteaceous plants grow naturally on acidic washed soils in Australia and South-Africa, therefore their cut flower production is difficult in Israel., where soils are mostly basic and calcareous. An experiment was conducted in an aerohydroponic system to establish the effect of pH on the development and growth of Leucadendron ‘Safari Sunset’. Total fresh weight, root fresh weight percentage and N and P where concentrations decreased significantly in plants grown in high pH (7.0) solutions compared to plants grown in low pH solutions (5.5). The high pH inhibited root growth and subsequent shoot growth. A marked effect of the pH on the proliferation of root hairs was demonstrated by using a scanning electron microscope. In roots of plants grown at high pH, root hair development was arrested, thus decreasing the potential surface area, which may decrease in plant nutrient uptake. L. ‘Safari Sunset’ required low pH in its rhizosphere for adequate growth, as root hairs developed only at pH lower than 6. | |
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