Articles
Effects of salinity and irrigation management on Poinsettia
Article number
1104_7
Pages
41 – 48
Language
English
Abstract
Two cultivars of Euphorbia pulcherrima were grown under partial or full saturation irrigation using a standard fertilizer solution, with or without the addition of sodium chloride.
At UCONN, the gravimetric water content averaged 250 and 330 g.L-1 prior to irrigation, and 500 and 670 g.L-1 following irrigation, for partial or full saturation regimes, respectively.
At crop maturity, the electrical conductivity of the potting medium averaged 7.7 and 4.2 S.m-1, for plants exposed to salinity or not, respectively.
Plants had lower dry weight with partial than full saturation.
LSQUOPeterstar RedRSQUO had greater dry mass and larger total laminar area than LSQUOPrestige RedRSQUO. Sodium concentrations in stem tissue were highest (P≤0.05) in plants exposed to salinity and these plants accumulated less Na under partial saturation.
In a second study with or without salinity and drip or partial saturation irrigation, ‘Peterstar Red’ had greater height and width than ‘Prestige Red’ but dry matter content and tissue contents of K, P and Na were greater for ‘Prestige Red’. For both cultivars, added salinity resulted in lower K and increased P concentrations in stems.
This study demonstrates that partial saturation can be used as an effective water management option when control of plant height and overall crop growth are desirable, and has the added benefit of limiting the toxic accumulation of Na when raw water contains elevated salinity.
At UCONN, the gravimetric water content averaged 250 and 330 g.L-1 prior to irrigation, and 500 and 670 g.L-1 following irrigation, for partial or full saturation regimes, respectively.
At crop maturity, the electrical conductivity of the potting medium averaged 7.7 and 4.2 S.m-1, for plants exposed to salinity or not, respectively.
Plants had lower dry weight with partial than full saturation.
LSQUOPeterstar RedRSQUO had greater dry mass and larger total laminar area than LSQUOPrestige RedRSQUO. Sodium concentrations in stem tissue were highest (P≤0.05) in plants exposed to salinity and these plants accumulated less Na under partial saturation.
In a second study with or without salinity and drip or partial saturation irrigation, ‘Peterstar Red’ had greater height and width than ‘Prestige Red’ but dry matter content and tissue contents of K, P and Na were greater for ‘Prestige Red’. For both cultivars, added salinity resulted in lower K and increased P concentrations in stems.
This study demonstrates that partial saturation can be used as an effective water management option when control of plant height and overall crop growth are desirable, and has the added benefit of limiting the toxic accumulation of Na when raw water contains elevated salinity.
Authors
M.P.N. Gent, W.H. Elmer, K. Macherla, R.J. McAvoy
Keywords
composition, fertilizer, growth, irrigation, sodium
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