News
New Production Technology Research Reports
August 20, 2012
AFE announces the release of three new production technology research reports:
- Growth of Petunia as Affected by Substrate Moisture Content and Fertilizer Rate, #531
- Using Soil Moisture Sensors for Poinsettia Height Control, #532
- Water Requirements of Herbaceous Perennial Plants, #533
Industry Impact: A large percentage of fertilizer applied to plants can be lost through leaching if excessive irrigation is used. Soil moisture sensor-controlled irrigation can significantly reduce or even eliminate leaching. If leaching is reduced, growers should be able to use lower fertilizer rates to grow their crops. This will result in significant financial savings.Using Soil Moisture Sensors for Poinsettia Height Control – #532
Industry Impact: The use of soil moisture sensor-controlled irrigation allows growers to apply a specific water deficit to their crop. This can be used to manipulate the elongation of the plants. This occurs through the application of a water deficit when plants are taller than desired. It slows their growth, but it resumes after normal irrigation is resumed. This provides growers with a new, non-chemical method to control plant height. With the increasing consumer preference for reduced chemical use, plants that have not been treated with PGRs might be preferred by many consumers.
Water Requirements of Herbaceous Perennial Plants – #533
Industry Impact: It is possible to grow high quality Dianthus, Aquilegia, and Rosemary with relatively little water using soil water sensors. Water restriction was an effective height control method for all three species and also reduced Dianthus width. To prevent excessive growth, recommended water contents would be 25% (Aquilegia and Dianthus) or 30% (Rosemary). However, Rosemary should not be grown in extremely dry substrates (lower than 10% water contents) and should be irrigated consistently to avoid mortality.
More than 150 additional research reports are available online for free.
