THE PROBLEM OF THE SALINITY FOR ORNAMENTAL PLANTS GROWN IN POTS AND CONTAINERS : DETERMINATION AND INTERPRETATION

The concentration in mineral elements of the aqueous solution existing when the substrate is brought to its water capacity has a highly significant relationship with the salinity expressed to the volume of substrate, corrected by a factor depending on the weight per volume.

This result, obtained with different organo-mineral substrates, is the groundwork of a method for the determination and the interpretation of the salinity of growing media other than soil in situ.

The electric conductivity, the rates of mineral elements such as NNO₃, P, K, Mg and the pH are determined on the aqueous extract obtained on the basis of 1.5 volume of water for 1 volume of non dried substrate.

The levels of salinity expressed in total or/and single salts are construed in taking into account the weight per volume and the "corrected volumic salinity", according to the requirements and the salts tolerance of horticultural crops.

Symposium on Substrates in Horticulture other than Soils In Situ

A. Dartigues

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1982.126.25