Articles
Chrysanthemum yield increased using targeted foliar fertiliser applications
Article number
1397_4
Pages
23 – 30
Language
English
Abstract
Fertiliser has traditionally been applied to the soil, and plants have obtained the nutrients they require from the soil via the roots.
There has been previous research that shows foliar nutrition can work in tandem with soil fertilisation, or even replace it.
Traditionally, chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum) production in Columbia has only applied nutrients via the soil.
This work aimed to assess the agronomic and economic benefits of supplementing the edaphic fertilisation (EF) with foliar fertilisation.
The work looked at four liquid fertilisers: Albina containing calcium; Indra that promotes antioxidant production and contains nutrients to enable their production; Lono K containing nitrogen and potassium; and Lono Plus containing nitrogen and calcium (all Levity Crop Science, UK). Each fertiliser was applied individually at a range of application rates (Albina and Indra at 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 1.25 L ha‑1 for three applications; Lono K and Lono Plus at 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 L ha‑1 for five applications) in addition to the growers standard EF program at two different locations in Columbia in 2022. The stem length and diameter; number of stems and flowers; weight of stems; shelf life; and cost benefit were recorded and calculated.
All products at all application rates gave significant improvements over the grower standard EF program.
For Albina the 1 and 1.25 L ha‑1 application rates, for Indra the 0.75, 1 and 1.25 L ha‑1 application rates and for Lono K and Lono Plus the 1.5, 2 and 2.5 L ha‑1 application rates were significantly better than the other application rates and were not significantly different from each other within each product that was applied.
When considering the return on investment of applying the products, the 1 L ha‑1 Albina, 0.75 L ha‑1 Indra and 1.5 L ha‑1 Lono K and Lono Plus application rates were the best for the growers to use.
There has been previous research that shows foliar nutrition can work in tandem with soil fertilisation, or even replace it.
Traditionally, chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum) production in Columbia has only applied nutrients via the soil.
This work aimed to assess the agronomic and economic benefits of supplementing the edaphic fertilisation (EF) with foliar fertilisation.
The work looked at four liquid fertilisers: Albina containing calcium; Indra that promotes antioxidant production and contains nutrients to enable their production; Lono K containing nitrogen and potassium; and Lono Plus containing nitrogen and calcium (all Levity Crop Science, UK). Each fertiliser was applied individually at a range of application rates (Albina and Indra at 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 1.25 L ha‑1 for three applications; Lono K and Lono Plus at 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 L ha‑1 for five applications) in addition to the growers standard EF program at two different locations in Columbia in 2022. The stem length and diameter; number of stems and flowers; weight of stems; shelf life; and cost benefit were recorded and calculated.
All products at all application rates gave significant improvements over the grower standard EF program.
For Albina the 1 and 1.25 L ha‑1 application rates, for Indra the 0.75, 1 and 1.25 L ha‑1 application rates and for Lono K and Lono Plus the 1.5, 2 and 2.5 L ha‑1 application rates were significantly better than the other application rates and were not significantly different from each other within each product that was applied.
When considering the return on investment of applying the products, the 1 L ha‑1 Albina, 0.75 L ha‑1 Indra and 1.5 L ha‑1 Lono K and Lono Plus application rates were the best for the growers to use.
Authors
J. Dodgson, A.K. Weston, D.J. Marks
Keywords
Dendranthema grandiflorum, calcium, nitrogen, potassium, anti-stress, ornamental production
Groups involved
Online Articles (9)