ISHS Acta Horticulturae 50: Symposium on Peat in Horticulture
MICRONUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS OF CHRYSANTHEMUMS GROWN ON PEAT SUBSTRATES |
| Author: | K.W. Smilde |
| Abstract:
In previous work (Smilde, 1972) the effects of minor nutrient supply and pH on chrysanthemums grown on peat substrates were mainly assessed in terms of dry weights of vegetative parts. No attempt was made to shorten the natural (summer) day lengths by darkening and, consequently, flowering was largely inhibited. Anomalies in flowering as a result of a deficiency or toxicity of minor elements such as copper and boron (Messing and Owen, 1954; Bunt, 1965; Penningsfeld, 1969 and 1972; Nelson, 1971; Adams et al., 1971; Boodley and Sheldrake, 1973; Gogne and Sanderson, 1973) could not be demonstrated therefore. Further studies, conducted with reduced day lengths, mainly concentrated on the effects of added minor nutrients and lime on flower production of various spray and pot chrysanthemum cultivars. Further work was also undertaken to test the effectiveness of fritted trace elements (FTE) in controlling Fe deficiency, fairly commonly occurring in chrysanthemums cultivated on peat substrates. The results are reported here. | |
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