Volume 15, Issue 4 (Journal of Soil and Plant Interactions 2024)
2024, 15(4): 65-77 |
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Department of Horticultural Sciences, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran
Abstract: (674 Views)
Abstract
In order to investigate the effect of wood chip compost and potassium sulfate on some morpho-physiological characteristics of geranium, Rocky Mountain Rock Red cultivar, a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four replications. The first factor was different percentages of wood chip compost (0, 5, 10, 15% replacing peat moss in the base growth medium) and the second factor was potassium sulfate (0, 1 and 2 mg/L). The composition of the base growth substrate (control) consisted of peat moss : perlite : garden soil (1:1:1 v/v). First, geranium seedlings were planted in pots containing different percentages of wood chip compost. After the adaptation of the plants to the growth media, fertilization with potassium sulfate was applied every 10 days. The results showed that the interactive effect of wood chip compost and potassium sulfate on plant height, and number of flowers, buds and leaves was significant at the probability level of 1%. The highest plant height was recorded in the treatment of 5% compost along with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate. The highest number of inflorescences was observed in 10% compost in combination with 1 mg/L of potassium sulfate and 15% compost with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate. The highest root fresh weight was recorded in 10% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate. The amount of chlorophyll was maximum in 15% compost and 1 mg/L of potassium sulfate. The plants grown in 10% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate had the highest amount of carotenoids. The effect of different percentages of compost used in combination with potassium sulfate on most of the examined traits was significant compared to the control. The 15% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate performed better on stem height, and number of inflorescences and buds.
Background and Objective: An important factor in the production of ornamental plants is the use of suitable growth media. In addition to appropriate physical and chemical properties, the growth media for plants should be cheap and easily available. Compost as an organic substance has a positive effect on the physical and chemical properties of the growth media. Fertilizers play an important role in improving the growth and development of plants. Potassium is effective in accelerating the growth and development of plants. This element plays an important role in the production of hydrocarbon materials, protein production, photosynthesis, and stomatal functioning (Tabatabaei, 2018; Nofa et al., 2024). The use of cheap and available organic materials, in addition to improving the plant vegetative and reproductive characteristics, can be important in reducing the cost of agricultural products. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of wood chip compost and potassium sulfate fertilizer on the morph-physiological characteristics of geranium plant.
Methods: A factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with two factors and four replications, was conducted in a greenhouse at Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University. The two factors were wood chip compost (0, 5%, 10%, 15%) and potassium sulfate (0, 1 and 2 mg/L). Healthy and uniform geranium seedlings were planted and placed in the greenhouse temperature for two weeks to adapt to the environmental conditions. After two weeks, the seedlings were transferred to the growth media containing compost and placed inside the greenhouse with an average temperature of 22°C and a relative humidity of 60‒70%. After the plant adaptation to the media, fertilization with the desired concentrations of potassium sulfate was applied every 10 days. Six months after applying the treatments, traits such as plant height, number of leaves, buds and inflorescences, root length, root volume, shoot fresh and dry weights, root fresh and dry weights, and chlorophyll, anthocyanin and potassium content were measured.
Results: The results showed that the highest plant height was measured in 5% compost with 2 mg/L of potassium. The highest number of inflorescences was observed in 10% compost combined with 1 mg/L of potassium, which was not significantly different from 15% compost treatment with 2 mg/L of potassium. The highest root fresh weight was measured in 10% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium. The highest root dry weight was observed in 10% compost + 2 mg/L potassium. The plants grown in 10% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium had the highest carotenoids content. The amount of anthocyanin was the highest in 2 mg/L potassium and in 15% compost. The highest total chlorophyll content was observed in the combined treatment of 15% wood chip compost and 1 mg/L of potassium.
Conclusions: The findings of the present study showed that most of the substrates containing compost and potassium sulfate fertilizer had a significant effect on improving the vegetative and flowering traits of geranium compared to the control. An increase in the number of inflorescences was observed in 10 and 15% compost in combination with potassium fertilizer. Anthocyanin pigment showed an increase in 15% compost and 2 mg/L potassium compared to the control. The number of leaves was the highest in the plants grown in 15% compost and 1 and 2 mg/L of potassium fertilizer. Therefore, the use of wood chip compost along with potassium sulfate fertilizer is recommended to improve the morphological and physiological characteristics of geranium.
References:
1. Nofal, E., Menesy, F.M., Abd El-Hady, W.G., Shehab, E., El-Ramady, H., Prokisch, J., 2024. Effect of Nano-NPK and Nano-Chitosan fertilizers on the growth and chemical constituents of Philodendron sellum plants. Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 64(3), 1193–1205. https://doi.org/10.21608/ejss.2024.289119.1769.
2. Tabatabaei, S.J., 2018. Principles of Plant Mineral Nutrition. First edition, Tabriz University Press, 562 p.
In order to investigate the effect of wood chip compost and potassium sulfate on some morpho-physiological characteristics of geranium, Rocky Mountain Rock Red cultivar, a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four replications. The first factor was different percentages of wood chip compost (0, 5, 10, 15% replacing peat moss in the base growth medium) and the second factor was potassium sulfate (0, 1 and 2 mg/L). The composition of the base growth substrate (control) consisted of peat moss : perlite : garden soil (1:1:1 v/v). First, geranium seedlings were planted in pots containing different percentages of wood chip compost. After the adaptation of the plants to the growth media, fertilization with potassium sulfate was applied every 10 days. The results showed that the interactive effect of wood chip compost and potassium sulfate on plant height, and number of flowers, buds and leaves was significant at the probability level of 1%. The highest plant height was recorded in the treatment of 5% compost along with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate. The highest number of inflorescences was observed in 10% compost in combination with 1 mg/L of potassium sulfate and 15% compost with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate. The highest root fresh weight was recorded in 10% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate. The amount of chlorophyll was maximum in 15% compost and 1 mg/L of potassium sulfate. The plants grown in 10% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate had the highest amount of carotenoids. The effect of different percentages of compost used in combination with potassium sulfate on most of the examined traits was significant compared to the control. The 15% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate performed better on stem height, and number of inflorescences and buds.
Background and Objective: An important factor in the production of ornamental plants is the use of suitable growth media. In addition to appropriate physical and chemical properties, the growth media for plants should be cheap and easily available. Compost as an organic substance has a positive effect on the physical and chemical properties of the growth media. Fertilizers play an important role in improving the growth and development of plants. Potassium is effective in accelerating the growth and development of plants. This element plays an important role in the production of hydrocarbon materials, protein production, photosynthesis, and stomatal functioning (Tabatabaei, 2018; Nofa et al., 2024). The use of cheap and available organic materials, in addition to improving the plant vegetative and reproductive characteristics, can be important in reducing the cost of agricultural products. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of wood chip compost and potassium sulfate fertilizer on the morph-physiological characteristics of geranium plant.
Methods: A factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with two factors and four replications, was conducted in a greenhouse at Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University. The two factors were wood chip compost (0, 5%, 10%, 15%) and potassium sulfate (0, 1 and 2 mg/L). Healthy and uniform geranium seedlings were planted and placed in the greenhouse temperature for two weeks to adapt to the environmental conditions. After two weeks, the seedlings were transferred to the growth media containing compost and placed inside the greenhouse with an average temperature of 22°C and a relative humidity of 60‒70%. After the plant adaptation to the media, fertilization with the desired concentrations of potassium sulfate was applied every 10 days. Six months after applying the treatments, traits such as plant height, number of leaves, buds and inflorescences, root length, root volume, shoot fresh and dry weights, root fresh and dry weights, and chlorophyll, anthocyanin and potassium content were measured.
Results: The results showed that the highest plant height was measured in 5% compost with 2 mg/L of potassium. The highest number of inflorescences was observed in 10% compost combined with 1 mg/L of potassium, which was not significantly different from 15% compost treatment with 2 mg/L of potassium. The highest root fresh weight was measured in 10% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium. The highest root dry weight was observed in 10% compost + 2 mg/L potassium. The plants grown in 10% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium had the highest carotenoids content. The amount of anthocyanin was the highest in 2 mg/L potassium and in 15% compost. The highest total chlorophyll content was observed in the combined treatment of 15% wood chip compost and 1 mg/L of potassium.
Conclusions: The findings of the present study showed that most of the substrates containing compost and potassium sulfate fertilizer had a significant effect on improving the vegetative and flowering traits of geranium compared to the control. An increase in the number of inflorescences was observed in 10 and 15% compost in combination with potassium fertilizer. Anthocyanin pigment showed an increase in 15% compost and 2 mg/L potassium compared to the control. The number of leaves was the highest in the plants grown in 15% compost and 1 and 2 mg/L of potassium fertilizer. Therefore, the use of wood chip compost along with potassium sulfate fertilizer is recommended to improve the morphological and physiological characteristics of geranium.
References:
1. Nofal, E., Menesy, F.M., Abd El-Hady, W.G., Shehab, E., El-Ramady, H., Prokisch, J., 2024. Effect of Nano-NPK and Nano-Chitosan fertilizers on the growth and chemical constituents of Philodendron sellum plants. Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 64(3), 1193–1205. https://doi.org/10.21608/ejss.2024.289119.1769.
2. Tabatabaei, S.J., 2018. Principles of Plant Mineral Nutrition. First edition, Tabriz University Press, 562 p.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Soil (growth medium) and plant relations in greenhouse culture
Received: 2024/09/28 | Accepted: 2025/01/6 | Published: 2025/06/30
Received: 2024/09/28 | Accepted: 2025/01/6 | Published: 2025/06/30
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License which allows users to read, copy, distribute and make derivative works for non-commercial purposes from the material, as long as the author of the original work is cited properly.
