ISHS Acta Horticulturae 807: International Symposium on Strategies Towards Sustainability of Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climate
N AND CA CONCENTRATION OF PRE TRANSPLANT NUTRIENT SOLUTION EFFECTS ON THE STAND ESTABLISHMENT RATE OF PEPPER (C. ANNUM. L) SEEDLINGS UNDER SALINE CONDITIONS |
| Authors: | G. Sallaku, A. Balliu, M. Huta, A. Doko |
| Keywords: | stand establishment rate, dry matter, relative growth rate, growth response coefficients |
| Abstract:
The influence of nitrogen and calcium concentration in the pre transplant nutrient solution on the stand establishment rate of pepper seedlings under saline conditions was estimated in experiments conducted in the plastic greenhouses. Graded seeds of cv. Ringo F1, were individually seeded into foam trays filled with vermiculite. After the first true leaves were fully appeared the plants were periodically fed with nutrient solution composed by different concentration of N (150, 200 and 250 mg L-1), and Ca (70 and 150 mg L-1), while P and K remained the same, respectively 40 mg L-1 and 250 mg L-1. An equal number of 60 days old plants for each plot were transplanted in individual pots, filled with vermiculate. The plants were fed with a nutrient solution, composed by respectively, 150, 40 and 250 mg L-1, NPK, but meantime subdivided into four different NaCl concentration (0, 10, 20 and 50 mM). Root, stems and leaf dry matter were weighted and leaf area was measured before, and 10 after transplanting, and further N, Ca and Na content were analyzed in the dry matter of plants. The relative growth rate (RGR) and its components NAR and LAR were calculated and the respective growth response coefficients (grcNAR and grcLAR) were estimated. The increase of nitrogen concentration in the pre transplant nutrient solution was followed by a progressive increase of the whole plant dry weight, and total N concentration in plants. The picture remain almost the same ten days after transplanting, but meantime a strong negative effect on dry matter accumulation was clearly evident due to increase of NaCl concentration in the post transplant nutrient solution. A higher transplants relative growth rate (RGR) was found for higher N concentrated pre transplant treatments, which seems to be because of increased amount of N in theirs dry matter. The transplant’s relative growth rate changes seem to be mostly due to its physiological component, NAR. Because a higher transplants relative growth rate was also imposed by increased pre transplant Ca concentration, it can be concluded that the stand establishment of pepper seedlings under saline irrigation water conditions can be enhanced through the combined effects of N and Ca content in the pre transplant nutrient solutions. | |
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