ISHS Acta Horticulturae 644: International Symposium on Growing Media and Hydroponics
THE EFFECTS OF ROOTING MEDIA, CO2 ENRICHMENT, P-NUTRITION AND MYCORRHIZAL INOCULATION ON ROOTING AND GROWTH OF OSTEOSPERMUM |
| Author: | J. Nowak |
| Keywords: | bedding plants, coir, horticultural substrates, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll fluorescence |
| Abstract:
The effects of composition of rooting media and CO2 enrichment on rooting of osteospermum cuttings were evaluated in experiment 1. Unrooted osteospermum cuttings were planted into 3 media: Peat + perlite (3:1, v/v); Peat + coco dust (1:1, v/v); Peat + coco dust (2:1, v/v). After 3 weeks of rooting, fresh and dry weights of shoots and shoot length were highest in cuttings rooted in peat + coco dust (1:1) medium. Vigorous early root growth in this medium was also observed. Fresh and dry weights of root system, root length and rooting evaluation were significantly higher at 800 µmol mol-1 CO2. In experiment 2 the ability of mycorrhizal fungi to colonize rooted osteospermum cuttings fertilized and unfertilized with phosphorus, was examined. Rooted cuttings were transplanted to pots containing peat + perlite mix (3:1; v:v) with or without Endorize – TA AMF inoculum (Biorize Sarl, France). Mycorrhizal infection was estimated after staining the roots with trypan blue. Inoculated roots were shorter and more branched but mycorrhizal inoculation did not improve the growth of osteospermum, except fresh weight of roots of plants grown without P. Stomatal conductance was higher in plants inoculated with AM fungi. Chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) was higher in P-sufficient plants. The effect of mycorrhizal inoculation on macroelement content of leaves was low, mycorrhizal inoculation increased Ca content only. | |
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