PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES FOR CROPS IN NUTRIENT SOLUTION CULTURE

In a series of experiments investigating propagation techniques for plants to be grown-on in hydroponics the following facts emerged.

1. With chrysanthemum and lettuce, especially, best growth rates were obtained where the plants were propagated directly in the nutrient solution in the absence of any solid medium.
   
2. Where solid media were used dry matter accumulation was highest in tomato and lettuce where the containers were placed in shallow recirculating solutions rather than on capillary matting.
   
3. With lettuce a static solution was not inferior to a recirculating one, but chrysanthemums responded to recirculation and additional aeration.
   
4. The most satisfactory solution specific conductivity for tomato, lettuce and chrysanthemum was ca. 1000 micromhos.
   
5. Root initiation and development in chrysanthemum was most rapid at a solution temperature of 26.7°C and was further enhanced at lower air temperatures (15.6°C).
   

Symposium on Research on Recirculating Water Culture

J.V. Morgan, A.T. Moustafa, F. Scanlan, A. Tan

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1980.98.25