Eremophila (Family: Myoporaceae), a large genus of 214 species, all endemic to Australia, is a very complex species with many different forms that range from completely prostrate forms to shrubs up to 1.5 meters high. Leaves may be glabrous or grayish and conspicuously hairy. The flowers also vary considerably and may be green, yellow, orange or red. Flowering occurs from late winter to summer. Rooted apical cuttings of Eremophila nivea and E. glabra, in the first week of February 2006, were transplanted to 22-cm plastic pots on a peat:perlite 1:1 or 2:1 (by volume) medium, placed in a greenhouse in Southern Italy. The plants were fertilised with a complete fertilizer (containing macro and microelements 20N-20P-20K (1,5 g/l) every week or every two weeks. For each species thirty-six plants were used per four treatments (resulting from all combinations of two media and two frequencies of fertilisation). Measurement of visual quality included the following characteristics: plant height and average diameter, shoots length, number of leaves and lateral shoots, foliar area and area per leaf, roots length, green and dry weights, dry matter percentage. The experimental results obtained with this research showed that E. nivea and E. glabra growing in pots in a greenhouse with a winter-spring cycle is possible. Under the applied experimental conditions, considering the medium average effect, the two species had a very similar behaviour. Fertirrigation every two weeks enhanced visual quality without making saline the medium and allowing a correct increase of the roots and consequently of the aerial apparatus. In both the species the best visual quality was obtained by the m1f1 treatments combination which gave more tilled, strong and better developed plants. The combination of peat:perlite 2:1 medium (m2) with fertilisation every week (f2) impeded the elongation of the roots and shoots stunted by high E.C. values in medium culture.
Growing medium and fertilisation affect visual quality characteristics of Eremophila potted plants
De Lucia B.
Writing – Review & Editing
;
2009-01-01
Abstract
Eremophila (Family: Myoporaceae), a large genus of 214 species, all endemic to Australia, is a very complex species with many different forms that range from completely prostrate forms to shrubs up to 1.5 meters high. Leaves may be glabrous or grayish and conspicuously hairy. The flowers also vary considerably and may be green, yellow, orange or red. Flowering occurs from late winter to summer. Rooted apical cuttings of Eremophila nivea and E. glabra, in the first week of February 2006, were transplanted to 22-cm plastic pots on a peat:perlite 1:1 or 2:1 (by volume) medium, placed in a greenhouse in Southern Italy. The plants were fertilised with a complete fertilizer (containing macro and microelements 20N-20P-20K (1,5 g/l) every week or every two weeks. For each species thirty-six plants were used per four treatments (resulting from all combinations of two media and two frequencies of fertilisation). Measurement of visual quality included the following characteristics: plant height and average diameter, shoots length, number of leaves and lateral shoots, foliar area and area per leaf, roots length, green and dry weights, dry matter percentage. The experimental results obtained with this research showed that E. nivea and E. glabra growing in pots in a greenhouse with a winter-spring cycle is possible. Under the applied experimental conditions, considering the medium average effect, the two species had a very similar behaviour. Fertirrigation every two weeks enhanced visual quality without making saline the medium and allowing a correct increase of the roots and consequently of the aerial apparatus. In both the species the best visual quality was obtained by the m1f1 treatments combination which gave more tilled, strong and better developed plants. The combination of peat:perlite 2:1 medium (m2) with fertilisation every week (f2) impeded the elongation of the roots and shoots stunted by high E.C. values in medium culture.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
