DIFFERENCES IN NUTRIENT UPTAKE OF FOUR ROSE CULTIVARS IN SAND CULTURE

Four cultivars of rose to cut flower (Dallas, Royal Velvet, Samantha and Vega) were grown for a cycle May to December in sand culture and were irrigated with the same nutrient solution using a recirculation system.

Nutrient uptake levels were estimated during cycle by analizing the nutrient solution and recovering water and nutrient absorbed.
Nutrient absorption pursuit was performed using foliar and sap (extract of conducting tissues) analysis in three flowering periods (June, August, October), to find correlations between nutrient absorption and plant nutrient contents, and to obtain plant reference levels with diagnosis purposes by means of DRIS. Significant differences were appreciated in the nutrient export by the plant, foliar concentrations and sap for the growth cycle.
The results obtained showed differences on the nutrient absorption between cultivars, specially with regard to cation uptake.
Moreover, cultivars Samantha and Vega showed lower levels of total nitrogen and higher levels of phosphorous in sap than Royal Velvet and Dallas.
Interpretation of results obtained allow us to improve the composition of nutrient solution for each cultivar and phenologycal state in the growth cycle.
Nutrient solution studied in sand culture is going to be applied for rose bush fertigation in soil and alternative substrates.

International Symposium on Water Quality & Quantity-Greenhouse

C. Cadahía, A. Eymar, A. Sánchez, D. López-Vela

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1998.458.43