ISHS Acta Horticulturae 221: Symposium on Horticultural Substrates and their Analysis
FLOODED-BENCH IRRIGATION: EFFECT OF IRRIGATION FREQUENCY AND TYPE OF POTTING SOIL ON GROWTH OF CODIAEUM AND ON NUTRIENT ACCUMULATION IN THE SOIL |
| Authors: | C. de Kreij, N. Straver |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.1988.221.26 |
| Abstract:
In a flooded-bench irrigation system water and nutrients enter the pot through the base, as a result of which the bottom layer of the potting soil becomes saturated with water, and aeration of the root system may become insufficient. The objective of the trial was to study the effect of the type of potting soil, especially its volumetric air content, as well as the watering frequency on the growth of Codiaeum variegatum. At the beginning of the trial the four potting soils that were tested had a volumetric air content of 5, 8, 14, and 17% at pF 1.0 (after compression at 0.1 kg/cm2). Water was supplied 1, 3, and 21 times a week. Maximum growth, expressed as total leaf area per plant, occurred on the potting soil with the highest air content, together with the highest watering frequency. In all treatments the same nutrient solution was used. At the end of the experiment the total quantities of N, P, and K found in the potting soil of the treatments with the most frequent watering were higher than in those with the lowest frequency. In the upper 4-cm layer of the soil column, which had a total height of 12 cm, an EC (in a 1:1.5 vol. extract) of 5.5 mS/cm was found; in the bottom 4-cm layer the EC was 0.8 mS/cm. This illustrates the strong salinization of the top layer of the potting soil. | |
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