Abstract
In the last decade, there has been an increasing focus on maintaining the electrical conductivity (EC) of leachate of bedding plants within an optimal range. However, there has been no research determining whether an optimal leachate EC results in better growth than using constant fertilizer concentrations throughout the production period. To evaluate the effects of constant fertilizer concentrations and constant leachate EC on the growth of wax begonia ( Begonia × semperflorens - cultorum Hort.) ‘Cocktail mix’ and petunia ( Petunia × hybrida Hort. Vilm-Andr.) ‘Gnome white’, we grew plants either with one of six different fertilizer concentrations (fertilizer EC of 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, or 5.5 dS·m −1 ) or by maintaining a leachate EC close to 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, or 5.5 dS·m −1 . The leachate EC of plants fertilized with constant fertilizer concentrations increased throughout the experiment if the fertilizer EC was 2.5 dS·m −1 or higher, was stable in the 1.5 dS·m −1 treatment, and decreased in the 0.5 dS·m −1 treatment. In treatments in which we tried to maintain the leachate EC constant, the leachate EC on average was within 0.2 dS·m −1 of the target EC. As a result of the acidic nature of the fertilizer, the pH of the growing medium decreased throughout the experiment with increasing leachate or fertilizer EC. When plants were fertilized with constant fertilizer concentrations, fertilizer solution EC of 0.52 and 1.24 dS·m −1 were estimated to be optimal for begonia and petunia, respectively. When the growing medium was maintained at a constant EC, 1.0 and 1.7 dS·m −1 were estimated to be optimal for begonia and petunia, respectively. Growth of both begonia and petunia was greatly inhibited when high fertilizer concentrations caused accumulation of soluble salts in the growing medium. Growth was reduced more by high fertilizer EC than by high leachate EC treatments. This difference probably occurred because superoptimal fertilizer concentrations resulted in very high leachate EC (up to 10.5 dS·m −1 for petunia and 12.5 dS·m −1 for begonia), which in turn inhibited growth. Periodic measurements of leachate EC can be a valuable tool in fertilizer management to prevent such excess buildup of salts in the growing medium.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
At fertilizer EC at least 2.5 dS·m −1 leachate EC rose.
Verbatim
e0“leachate EC of plants fertilized with constant fertilizer concentrations increased throughout the experiment if the fertilizer EC was 2.5 dS·m −1 or higher”
t0“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
t1“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
Claim · model-written summary
Leachate EC stayed stable under the 1.5 dS·m −1 fertilizer treatment.
Verbatim
e0“was stable in the 1.5 dS·m −1 treatment”
t0“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
t1“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
e1“The leachate EC of plants fertilized with constant fertilizer concentrations increased throughout the experiment”
Claim · model-written summary
Leachate EC fell under the 0.5 dS·m −1 fertilizer treatment.
Verbatim
e0“decreased in the 0.5 dS·m −1 treatment”
t0“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
t1“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
e1“The leachate EC of plants fertilized with constant fertilizer concentrations increased throughout the experiment”
Claim · model-written summary
Maintained leachate EC averaged within 0.2 dS·m −1 of target.
Verbatim
e0“the leachate EC on average was within 0.2 dS·m −1 of the target EC”
t0“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
t1“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
Claim · model-written summary
Growing medium pH fell as leachate or fertilizer EC increased.
Verbatim
e0“the pH of the growing medium decreased throughout the experiment with increasing leachate or fertilizer EC”
t0“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
t1“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
Claim · model-written summary
Optimal constant fertilizer solution EC for begonia was estimated at 0.52 dS·m −1.
BegoniaOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“fertilizer solution EC of 0.52 and 1.24 dS·m −1 were estimated to be optimal for begonia and petunia, respectively”
t0“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
t1“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
Claim · model-written summary
Optimal constant fertilizer solution EC for petunia was estimated at 1.24 dS·m −1.
_flowers_in_Westgate_Gardens%2C_Canterbury.jpg?width=60){kind=small}
PetuniaOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
_flowers_in_Westgate_Gardens%2C_Canterbury.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“fertilizer solution EC of 0.52 and 1.24 dS·m −1 were estimated to be optimal for begonia and petunia, respectively”
t0“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
t1“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
Claim · model-written summary
Optimal constant growing medium EC for begonia was estimated at 1.0 dS·m −1.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“1.0 and 1.7 dS·m −1 were estimated to be optimal for begonia and petunia, respectively”
t0“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
t1“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
Claim · model-written summary
Optimal constant growing medium EC for petunia was estimated at 1.7 dS·m −1.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“1.0 and 1.7 dS·m −1 were estimated to be optimal for begonia and petunia, respectively”
t0“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
t1“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
Claim · model-written summary
High fertilizer concentrations inhibited begonia and petunia growth through soluble salt buildup.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Growth of both begonia and petunia was greatly inhibited when high fertilizer concentrations caused accumulation of soluble salts in the growing medium.”
t0“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
t1“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
Claim · model-written summary
High fertilizer EC reduced growth more than high leachate EC.
Verbatim
e0“Growth was reduced more by high fertilizer EC than by high leachate EC treatments.”
t0“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
t1“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend periodic leachate EC checks for fertilizer management.
Verbatim
e0“Periodic measurements of leachate EC can be a valuable tool in fertilizer management to prevent such excess buildup of salts in the growing medium.”
t0“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
t1“Managing Fertilization of Bedding Plants: A Comparison of Constant Fertilizer Concentrations versus Constant Leachate Electrical Conductivity”
The same questions in other papers
fertilization · growth · BegoniaPositive and negative results
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See all 7 papers →fertilization · growth · Petunia (petunia)Positive and negative results
5 papers in the same direction as this paper · 16 in the opposite direction
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See all 22 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.