NUTRIENT SUPPLY OF MICRO-PROPAGATED RHODODENDRON HYBRIDS UNDER GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS

Micropropagated Rhododendron varieties were potted in march in containers and then set up in a greenhouse.
The young plants were initially pinched to 3 or 6 residual buds in early april.

Nutrient solutions with complete fertilizer were given weekly at different concentrations from 1,2–4 g/plant from june until september.
Optimum N-supply was found with 1 g N per plant (3 buds) and less than 2 g N per plant (6 buds). Higher N-levels led to disease by the fungi Phytophthora. Plant size was drastically reduced by concentrations beyond 2 g/plant.

Plant quality at optimum nutrient supply can be described as another new product: plants have a 20–30 cm diameter, full budded in september and can be cooled until forcing beginning in december.

V International Rhododendron Conference

H.H. Witt

Container culture, fungi infestation

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1994.364.11