AGRONOMIC EVALUATION OF PELARGONIUM ZONALE AND CINERARIA HYBRID WITH DIFFERENT SUBSTRATES IN COLD GREENHOUSE.

The aim of this paper is to analyze the agronomic behaviour of the Cineraria hybrid and Pelargonium zonale in two greenhouses under spontaneous conditions with two kinds of covering (single EVA-4 and double wall EVA-4 + EVA-1) using four mixtures of substrates on the basis of: mixture A: 50% peat + 25% perlite + 25% vermiculite; mixture B: 20% peat + 80% pinebark compost; mixture C: 33,3% pine bark compost + 33,3% leaf moulds + 33,3% peat; mixture D: 33,3% black peat + 33,3% pine-bark compost + 33,3% leaf moulds.

During the vital cycle of the Cineraria hybrid and Pelargonium zonale, the agronomic parameters; plant height and number of leaves were analyzed monthly.
The precocity in flowering however evaluated weekly.

The physical and physico-chemical characteristics analyzed in the four mixtures of substrates were: bulk density, total pore space, water release curve, pH and electric conductivity (E.C.).

The statistical design shows that for both plants tested and in both greenhouses, mixture A presents significant difference (5%) in relation to the other tested substrate mixtures in regard to plant height and number of leaves both plants tested and in both greenhouses.

In contrast the analysis of plant behaviour shows no significant difference for the studied parameters (height and number of leaves) related to the covering materials of the greenhouses.

No significant differences were found in precocity in flowering related to the type of greenhouse or type of substrate mixture.

International Symposium on Substrates in Horticulture other than Soils In Situ

A. Vallejo, M. Pallares, A. Gonzalez, J. Gomà

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1984.150.27