Journal of Soil and Plant Interactions
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Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University
Abstract: (198 Views)
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 as 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) including peat moss: perlite: garden soil (1:1:1 V/V) was selected. 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. According to the obtained results, the interaction of wood chip compost and potassium sulfate on height, number of flowers, number of buds and number of 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. According to the results of the present study, the effect of different percentages of compost used in combination with potassium sulfate was significant in most of the examined traits compared to the control treatment. 15% compost in combination with 2 mg/L of potassium sulfate performed better on stem height, number of inflorescences and buds.
Keywords: Fertilization, Ornamental plant, Pigments, Medium
Background and Objective:
One of the important factors in the production of ornamental plants is the use of suitable medium. In addition to having suitable physical and chemical properties, the media for plants should be cheap and available. Compost is an organic substance that has a positive effect on the physical and chemical properties of the 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 the opening and closing of stomata (Tabatabaei, 2018; Nofa et al., 2024). The use of cheap and available organic materials, in addition to improving the vegetative and reproductive characteristics of the plant, can be important in reducing the cost of producing agricultural products. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role 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 three replications was conducted in greenhouse conditions at Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University. The first factor of wood chip compost (0, 5%, 10%, 15%) and the second factor was potassium sulfate (0, 1 and 2 mg/L). Healthy and uniform geranium seedlings were purchased from a greenhouse in Pakdasht, Varamin. The plants were placed in the greenhouse temperature for two weeks to adapt to the environmental conditions. After two weeks, the seedlings were transferred to the media containing compost and placed inside the greenhouse with an average temperature of 22°C and a relative humidity of 60-70%. After the adaptation of the plants to the media, fertilization with the desired concentrations of potassium sulfate was applied every 10 days. Six months after the start of the treatment, traits such as height, number of leaves, number of buds, number of inflorescences, root length, root volume, shoot fresh and dry weight, root fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll content, anthocyanin and potassium element was measured.
Results: According to the obtained results, the highest plant height was created 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 wet 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 amount of carotenoids. The amount of anthocyanin was the highest in 2 mg/L potassium. Also, this pigment was maximum in 15% compost. The highest amount of total chlorophyll was observed under the 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 treatment. 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 plants grown in 15% compost and 1 and 2 grams per liter of potassium fertilizer. According to the results of the present study, 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. and 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. doi: 10.21608/ejss.2024.289119.1769.
2- Tabatabaei, S.J. 2018. Principles of plant mineral nutrition. First edition, autho's publications. Tabriz, Iran.
Keywords: Fertilization, Ornamental plant, Pigments, Medium
Background and Objective:
One of the important factors in the production of ornamental plants is the use of suitable medium. In addition to having suitable physical and chemical properties, the media for plants should be cheap and available. Compost is an organic substance that has a positive effect on the physical and chemical properties of the 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 the opening and closing of stomata (Tabatabaei, 2018; Nofa et al., 2024). The use of cheap and available organic materials, in addition to improving the vegetative and reproductive characteristics of the plant, can be important in reducing the cost of producing agricultural products. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role 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 three replications was conducted in greenhouse conditions at Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University. The first factor of wood chip compost (0, 5%, 10%, 15%) and the second factor was potassium sulfate (0, 1 and 2 mg/L). Healthy and uniform geranium seedlings were purchased from a greenhouse in Pakdasht, Varamin. The plants were placed in the greenhouse temperature for two weeks to adapt to the environmental conditions. After two weeks, the seedlings were transferred to the media containing compost and placed inside the greenhouse with an average temperature of 22°C and a relative humidity of 60-70%. After the adaptation of the plants to the media, fertilization with the desired concentrations of potassium sulfate was applied every 10 days. Six months after the start of the treatment, traits such as height, number of leaves, number of buds, number of inflorescences, root length, root volume, shoot fresh and dry weight, root fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll content, anthocyanin and potassium element was measured.
Results: According to the obtained results, the highest plant height was created 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 wet 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 amount of carotenoids. The amount of anthocyanin was the highest in 2 mg/L potassium. Also, this pigment was maximum in 15% compost. The highest amount of total chlorophyll was observed under the 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 treatment. 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 plants grown in 15% compost and 1 and 2 grams per liter of potassium fertilizer. According to the results of the present study, 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. and 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. doi: 10.21608/ejss.2024.289119.1769.
2- Tabatabaei, S.J. 2018. Principles of plant mineral nutrition. First edition, autho's publications. Tabriz, Iran.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Soil (growth medium) and plant relations in greenhouse culture
Received: 2024/09/28 | Accepted: 2025/01/6
Received: 2024/09/28 | Accepted: 2025/01/6
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Journal of Soil and Plant Interactions by http://jspi.iut.ac.ir is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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.
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.
