New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts
Effects of nitrogen nutrition on Sandersonia cut flower and tuber
production in a soil-less medium
G. E. CLARK
New Zealand Institute for Crop & Food
Research Limited
Pukekohe Research Centre
Cronin Road, RD 1
Pukekohe, New Zealand
email: clarkg@crop.cri.nz
G. K. BURGE
New Zealand Institute for Crop & Food
Research Limited
Food Industry Science Centre
Private Bag 11 600
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Abstract The effects of five nitrogen (N) application
rates--14.2, 28.4, 56.8, 113.6, and 227.2 g N/m
2 (equivalent to
37.5, 75, 150, 300, and 600 ppm of N as a daily liquid feed), on greenhouse cut
flower production and outdoor tuber production in
Sandersonia aurantiaca
(Hook.) were compared in two experiments using a peat:pumice medium. Stem
length and weight declined with increasing N rate. Tuber weight declined
slightly along with tuber quality with increasing N rate. High N rates resulted
in an increased incidence of tuber disorders including secondary tuber
formation and tuber rots. Leaf N concentration increased with N rate to a
maximum of 56.8 g N/m
2, but tuber N continued to increase (from 0.68
to 2.01% dry weight) with increasing N rate. The effects of the N rates on
tuber storage and subsequent cut flower production were assessed at two N rates
(28.4 and 113.6 g N/m
2) in a third experiment. Leaf nutrient
concentrations were not affected when tubers were forced at the two N rates in
the third experiment nor was vase-life of stems. This study indicates that
sandersonia requires low-medium amounts of nitrogen and that an N rate of c.
28.4 g/m
2 would optimise both tuber quality and stem production for
sandersonia grown in a soil-less medium. Tuber and leaf nutrient concentrations
at this N rate could be used for crop cultural guidelines for both flower and
tuber production.
Keywords sandersonia; Sandersonia aurantiaca;
nutrition; nitrogen; tuber; cut flower; soil-less medium
H98021
Received 12 May 1998; accepted 1 February 1999
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (616K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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