Preliminary results on fig soil-less culture

A fig soil-less culture was conducted in a greenhouse to get rid off all the inconveniences of traditional farming such as low profitability. The research showed a different way of growing fig trees (Ficus carica L.) so that farmers could benefit from it by improving yields.     

无基质营养液育苗的营养液浓度对黄瓜幼苗生长的影响

采用无基质营养液培育黄瓜幼苗,研究不同营养液浓度对黄瓜幼苗生长的影响。结果表明：低浓度（0.5倍和1.0倍全价营养液）处理下,黄瓜幼苗低矮、细弱、生物量低、抗性弱、根体积小、壮苗指数低,这与低浓度营养供应不足进而减慢生长发育进程有关|高浓度（2.0倍）条件下,幼苗前期生长受到抑制,由于幼苗后期胁迫作用未消除,虽然生长有所加快,但幼苗健壮度较低|1.5倍营养液处理显著促进了幼苗的生长,有效地提高了幼苗的生物量、壮苗指数和根系活力,较好地协调了幼苗的生长速率和抗性,胁迫作用不明显,促进作用大于胁迫作用。因此,在黄瓜无基质营养液育苗条件下,1.5倍全价营养液为最适浓度。     

Promotive effects of a 5-aminolevulinic acid-based fertilizer on growth of tissue culture-derived date palm plants (Phoenix dactylifera L.) during acclimatization

The low survival rate together with the slow growth rate of the survived tissue culture-derived date palm plants during acclimatization are critical problems facing the tissue culture as a commercial technique of date palm propagation. Growth parameters, pigment contents and nutrient uptake were examined in tissue culture-derived date palm plants (Phoenix dactylifera L.) c.v. ‘Khalas’ subject to different concentration of a 5-aminolevulinic acid-based fertilizer, commercially known as Pentakeep-v, during acclimatization. Pentakeep application at 0.02, 0.04 or 0.08% at 10 days interval significantly enhanced growth at both VP2- and VP3-stage of acclimatization. However, such effects were not detectable at the VP1-stage. At the end of this stage, the successful plants ranged from 66.6 to 78.3% with no significant differences between the Pentakeep treatments and the control. All successful plants at this stage survived both the VP2 and the VP3 stages of acclimatization. Plants treated with Pentakeep, especially at 0.04 and 0.08%, developed faster and were ready for transplanting to the nursery or to the open field conditions about 4–5 months earlier than the control or those treated with 0.02% Pentakeep. Pentakeep significantly increased chlorophyll a contents in all treatments which was subsequently reflected on total chlorophyll and chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratio. Pentakeep application, especially at the 0.08%, significantly increased the concentration of N, Cu and Zn in the leaves of treated plants. The concentration of available P and Zn in the soil was significantly higher in the Pentakeep treatments than the control.     

The effects of temperature and daylength during the seedling stage on flower-stalk formation in field-grown celery

The occurrence of bolting in open-field winter- and spring-grown celery (Apium graveolens L.) reduces the quality and yield of the product. The temperature which prevails in the nursery and in the fields during the plant's vegetative growth is a consequential factor which controls the development of the flower stalk. Seedlings were exposed to various temperature (soil and air) and daylength conditions for different periods during their growth in the nursery. Exposing young plants to non-inductive temperatures (soil or air) brought about a delay in bolting in the field-grown spring celery, irrespective of the daylength which prevailed during the treatments.Moreover, exposure of nursery-grown celery seedlings to high temperatures (25, 30 or 35°C) for short periods just before transplanting them into the open field caused a significant delay in the rate of bolting. This short-period high-temperature treatment may be of economic importance and can provide partial control of bolting in spring-grown celery.     

The influence of drip irrigation or subirrigation on tomato grown in closed-loop substrate culture with saline water

In closed-loop soilless culture, one of the most relevant problems may be the accumulation in the recirculating nutrient solution of ions contained in irrigation water that are not or scarcely absorbed by the plants (e.g. Na, Cl) In order to verify the possibility to reduce the rate of recirculating water salinisation by means of subirrigation, an experiment was carried out in the spring of 2002 and 2004, with tomato plants (cv. Jama) grown in glasshouse and watered by conventional drip irrigation (D) or by subirrigation (trough bench system; S). The plants were cultivated in pots filled with a peat-perlite substrate for approximately 3 months and fed with complete nutrient solution, which was prepared with fresh water containing 10 mol m⁻³ NaCl; the nutrient solution in the collecting tank was replaced when the value of electrical conductivity (EC) exceeded 6.0 dS m⁻¹. Water and nutrient crop use, salt accumulation in the substrate, and fruit yield were monitored. In S culture, the composition and EC of the recirculating nutrient solution changed slightly, while in D treatment there was a fast water salinisation that made it necessary to flushed out the nutrient solution in six different occasions, with consequent loss of water and fertilisers. In S culture, the upward water movement in the substrate, coupled with selective mineral uptake by the roots, caused salinity build-up in the upper region of the substrate, which was associated with Na⁺ accumulation. No significant influence of irrigation methods on fruit yield and quality was observed. These findings suggest that subirrigation can be a tool to reduce the water consumption and nutrient runoff in closed-loop substrate culture of tomato conducted with saline water.     

草莓组培苗漂浮育苗技术

草莓组培苗育苗是组织培养中一个关键环节,充分利用现代烤烟漂浮育苗技术来解决组培苗规模化生产是一种新的组培苗炼苗方法;漂浮育苗是将草莓组培苗移栽在装满基质的漂浮育苗盘浮在配制好的营养液上进行育苗技术,它是一项用水、营养液及其配套设备培育组培苗壮苗的农业新技术。文章主要从育苗设施的准备、移栽与苗期技术管理总结草莓组培苗的漂浮育苗技术。     

The effects of low boron on growth,gas exchange,boron concentration and distribution of ‘Newhall’ navel orange (Citrus sinensis Osb.) plants grafted on two rootstocks

The effects of low boron (B) on plant growth, photosynthesis, B concentration and distribution of ‘Newhall’ orange (Citrus sinensis Osb.) plants grafted on either Trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.) or Carrizo citrange [C. sinensis (L.) Osb. × Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.] rootstocks were investigated. One-year-old plants of the two scion-rootstock combinations were grown for 183 days in sand:perlite (1:1, v/v) medium under greenhouse conditions. The plants were irrigated with half-strength Hoagland's nutrient solutions containing four B concentrations (0.01, 0.05, 0.10 and 0.25 mg l⁻¹). The growth of root, stem of scion and leaves was less affected by low B treatments when ‘Newhall’ scion was grafted on Carrizo citrange than on Trifoliate orange. Thus, the growth of scions under low B conditions was mainly depended on the rootstock used, i.e., Carrizo citrange-grafted plants were more tolerant to low B compared to the plants grafted on Trifoliate orange. Boron concentrations in all plant parts decreased significantly by decreasing the B supply in the nutrient solution. Leaves were the dominant sites of B accumulation and showed the greatest reduction in B concentration compared to the other plant parts, as B concentration in the nutrient solution decreased. Irrespective of the rootstock, B levels in the upper–younger leaves were substantially higher than in basal-older leaves when plants were exposed to low B concentrations (≤0.05 mg l⁻¹), suggesting that under such conditions B was preferentially translocated to upper–younger leaves to support their growth. Furthermore, B distribution in different plant parts indicated that there was a restriction in translocation of B from root to scion tissues (stems and leaves of scion) under conditions of limited B availability. In addition, low B treatments decreased leaf photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate but increased intercellular CO₂ concentration in the leaves of ‘Newhall’ plants, irrespective of the rootstock used.     

EDTA螯合钙对无土栽培生菜生长及品质的影响

以"富兰德里"生菜(Lactuca sativa‘Flandria’)为试材,采用基质栽培的方法,研究了EDTA螯合钙对无土栽培生菜生长的影响,以期探索用EDAT螯合钙替代游离钙离子作为无土栽培营养液钙源的可行性,避免营养液施配过程中钙肥有效性降低的问题。结果表明:与对照CK相比,T1、T2处理生菜在冠部鲜质量、品质性状上未表现出明显差异,且符合生产商品性要求。随着营养液螯合钙浓度的进一步增大,生菜的SPAD值虽然有所增加,但累积蒸腾耗水、地上部鲜质量和营养液利用效率均受到显著抑制。因此,采用螯合钙剂作为无土栽培作物营养液的钙源时,要注意控制营养液的螯合钙浓度不宜超过20 mg·L^-1,防止产量降低、营养液利用效率下降。     

Chloride and sodium excluding capacities of citrus rootstock germplasm introduced to Australia from the People's Republic of China

The responses to root zone salinity (0, 25 and 50 mM NaCl) by 40 citrus rootstock genotypes introduced from the People's Republic of China, measured as shoot chloride (Cl⁻) and sodium (Na⁺) ion accumulation, growth and dry matter accumulation, were investigated under glasshouse conditions. Two experiments, one using aerated nutrient solutions and the other irrigated sand cultures, were conducted with plants grown from rooted cuttings taken from representative trees of different mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco and C. erythrosa Hort. ex Tan.), yuzu (C. junos Sieb. ex Tan.), Ichang papeda (C. ichangensis Swing.), sour orange (C. aurantium L.) and trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.) genotypes. Two standard genotypes, viz. Rangpur lime (Citrus x limonia Osbeck.) and William's trifoliate orange were included in the experiments as reference controls.     

Screening of AM fungi and Azotobacter chroococcum under natural,solarization, chemical sterilization and moisture conservation practices for commercial mango nursery production in north-west Himalayas

The present study investigates the performance of mango seedlings screened with indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and Azotobacter chroococcum strains under solarized, chemical sterilized and natural soil conditions. Two isolates each of AM fungi namely, Glomus fasciculatum (Thaxter sensu Gerdemann) and Glomus mosseae (Nicol. & Gerd.), and two strains of A. chroococcum viz., A. chroococcum strain-I (AZ1) and A. chroococcum strain-II (AZ2) were inoculated at nursery stage under four different moisture conservation practices viz., black polyethylene mulch and organic mulches (grass mulch, cover crops, green manure) and clean cultivation. The observations on microbial population, root colonization, growth parameters and leaf nutrient content of the seedlings were recorded. Mango seedling's inoculated with G. fasciculatum and AZ1 had increased seedling's height, diameter, leaf area and total root length, microbial consortium of the rhizosphere soil and leaf N, P, K and Zn content in plots where solarization and black polyethylene mulching was used. The study revealed that the inoculation of mango stones and the saplings with G. fasciculatum and AZ1 under solarized black polyethylene mulched practice may be considered the best practice for raising mango nursery and maintaining soil health under rain-fed conditions of mid-hills of north-west Himalayas.     

蛹虫草固体发酵生产虫草素的条件优化

用直径6 cm,高10 cm聚乙烯培养罐固体发酵蛹虫草(Cordyceps militaris),以固体发酵产物中虫草素含量为指标,从16个蛹虫草菌株中筛选出虫草素含量最高的菌株,考察固体发酵该菌株的培养基组成、培养时间、培养基装量、料液比、培养温度、接种量和添加物对虫草素含量的影响,得到了有利于蛹虫草固体发酵产虫草素的培养条件:培养罐装20 g小麦,按小麦干重6％的量分别加入玉米粉和黄豆粉,按料液比1∶1.4(w∶v,以小麦干重为基准)加入营养液(g/L:2.0 K2HPO4·3H2O,0.5 MgSO4·7H2O,16甘氨酸),培养温度为26℃,时间46 d,接种量10％.     

Screening and selecting novel AM fungi and Azotobacter strain for inoculating apple under soil solarization and chemical disinfestation with mulch practices for sustainable nursery management

The objective of this study is to investigate the response of screening, and selection of novel indigenous AM fungal species and Azotobacter chroococcum strains for inoculating apple under different soil disinfestations and moisture conservation mulch practices for sustainable nursery management. Two local AM fungal species namely, Glomus fasciculatum (Thaxter sensu Gerdemann) and Glomus mosseae (Nicol. & Gerd.), and two strains of A. chroococcum viz., A. chroococcum strain-I (AZ₁) and A. chroococcum strain-II (AZ₂) were inoculated at nursery stage under soil solarization, chemical disinfestation and natural soil conditions at four different mulch materials namely, black plastic mulch (BPM), and organic mulches, i.e. grass mulch (GM); cover crops (CC); green manuring + clean cultivation (Gm + Cc). The comparative performance of the seedlings on the impact of local AM species and A. chroococcum strains on growth characteristics, microbial population, root colonization and leaf nutrient status was evaluated. The inoculation of seedlings to G. fasciculatum and AZ₁ increased all growth characteristics (plant height, stem diameter, leaf area and total root length), microbial consortium of the rhizosphere soil and leaf N, P, K and Zn content in all those plots where soil solarization and black plastic mulching was used followed by chemical disinfestations and natural soil conditions at all other mulch types used. These findings suggested that the soil inoculation of G. fasciculatum and AZ₁ strain to seeds and/or the saplings under soil solarization with black plastic mulch attained a desirable plant height and become ready for grafting which however saved a period of 1 year for nursery management compared to traditional nursery raising practice, and thus, it may be a viable and feasible approach to maintain soil productivity under nutrient limited soils for sustainable apple nursery production under temperate rain-fed conditions.     

番茄树型栽培营养及植株调控试验

为实现番茄的单株高产,达到番茄最佳"树型",以及高品质和高观赏价值,针对番茄"树"不同生育期进行营养、水分供给调控,以期确定番茄"树"不同生育时期的最适营养、水分供给方案.结果表明,应用营养液1(7.50 mmol/LNO3-,0.46 mmol/L NH22-,0.665 mmol/L PO43-,4.165 mmo...     

Growth and establishment of container-grown London planetrees in response to mulch,root-ball treatment and fertilization

We conducted two experiments to evaluate the impact of cultural treatments on growth and establishment of container-grown London planetrees (Platanus × acerifolia’ Bloodgood’). In both experiments, 48 trees grown in 100 l (#25) black plastic containers were assigned at random to one of three root-ball treatments prior to planting; no treatment (Control), outer 3 cm of roots removed around entire root-ball (Shave), or outer circling roots disentangled from the root-ball (Tease). In Experiment 1, half of the trees were fertilized with 400 g of controlled release fertilizer (15-9-12; N-P₂O₅-K₂O) at planting and the remainder of the trees were not fertilized. In Experiment 2, half of the trees were mulched with an 8 cm deep × 2 m diameter ring of coarse ground pine bark at planting and the remainder of the trees were not mulched. In Experiment 1, fertilization at planting increased SPAD chlorophyll content on two of four measurement dates but did not affect cumulative height or caliper growth after two years. After two growing seasons, root-ball treatments (shaving or teasing) increased root growth outside the original root-ball compared to control trees. Both root-ball treatments also reduced circling roots. In Experiment 2, mulching at planting increased soil moisture and cumulative tree height and diameter growth. Shaving increased new root growth and both root-ball treatments improved root architecture and reduced circling roots. Overall, the study demonstrates that root-ball manipulations can stimulate new root growth and reduce circling roots. Mulch is a valuable aid to conserve soil moisture and increase tree growth. Fertilization at planting provided little benefit in this experiment, which may have been related to a high level of soil fertility at the site or nutrient loading of the trees from nursery culture prior to transplanting.     

不同浓度氮、磷、钾对水培芹菜生长及 叶绿素含量的影响

摘要：为研究不同浓度氮、磷、钾对水培芹菜生长及叶绿素含量的影响，筛选适于水培芹菜生产的 最适氮、磷、钾肥浓度，以2个芹菜品种“津南实芹”和“金黄芹菜”为材料，进行不同浓度氮、磷、 钾肥条件下的水培种植试验，综合比较分析各处理间芹菜植株外观性状及叶绿素含量存在的差异。结果 表明：氮、磷、钾肥为芹菜水培过程中需施加的必要营养元素，且适宜浓度氮、磷、钾及配比对芹菜生 长和叶绿素含量均有促进作用，“津南实芹”叶绿素含量相对较高。最适氮、磷、钾肥浓度在芹菜不同 品种及不同部位间有所差异，“津南实芹”对氮、磷、钾肥需求量均大于“金黄芹菜”，对缺素条件更 为敏感。氮肥对芹菜各部位叶绿素含量的增加效果比较均衡且明显，其最适浓度在2个品种芹菜中有一 定差异；磷肥对提高芹菜总叶绿素含量效果最为显著；钾肥主要促进了芹菜叶柄叶绿素含量的增加。在 芹菜水培生产中，可将氮、磷、钾肥浓度范围分别设置在5～8、0.3～0.6、5～7 mmol/L，并根据品种需 肥特性，对氮、磷、钾肥比例进行适度调整。     

‘Swingle’ citrumelo propagation by cuttings for citrus nursery tree production or inarching

‘Swingle’ citrumelo [Citrus paradisi MacFaden × Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.] has been extensively used as a rootstock in several citrus growing regions of the World, including Southern Brazil where ‘Rangpur’ lime (Citrus limonia Osbeck) is still the predominant variety despite being affected by several important pathogens. In this case, ‘Swingle’ citrumelo is used to produce nursery trees to establish new orchards or to be inarched in adult and healthy groves in order to change the rootstock. We report herein a system to produce trees on ‘Swingle’ citrumelo more rapidly by budding onto non-rooted cuttings, as well as assessing potential to rapidly multiply ‘Swingle’ through rooting of non-budded cuttings. Therefore, two potential products are described: budded trees and rooted rootstock cuttings. ‘Valencia’ sweet orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck] was budded at different heights on cuttings derived from eight-month old rootstocks. Grafted and additional non-budded cuttings were then treated with indole-3-butyric acid (500 mg L⁻¹) or left untreated before rooting. Three types of cuttings were evaluated: softwood, semi-hardwood and hardwood. The use of nursery trees derived from pre-budded hardwood cuttings of ‘Swingle’ citrumelo is an alternative grafting method on this cultivar. Softwood cuttings with one leaf pair were considered the most adequate material for rapid multiplication of ‘Swingle’ citrumelo by cutting. This could be particularly useful for inarching production or conventional budding after transplant of cutting-derived rootstocks.     

Effect of nutrient sources on cucumber production in different substrates

The research was conducted in two successive seasons to compare the effect of nutrient sources, organic manure and inorganic conventional nutrient solution, in cucumber production performed with different local substrates. In fall, the experiment was designed to test three factors, namely cultivar [(a) Armada, (b) Gordion], nutrient source [(a) inorganic nutrient solution, (b) solid organic manure] and substrate [(a) 3 + 1 perlite + clinoptilolite, (b) 1 + 1 perlite + clinoptilolite, (c) 3 + 1 tuff + clinoptilolite, (d) 1 + 1 tuff + clinoptilolite, v/v]. Results showed that organic manuring decrease the total yield by 22.4% in comparison to inorganic nutrient solution. In organic manure treatment, vigorous variety (Armada) gave higher yield than less vigorous variety (Gordion). In the spring season, the tested factors were decreased to two and tested as nutrient source [(a) inorganic nutrient solution, (b) solid organic manure, (c) organic nutrient solution] and substrate. Armada was the only cultivar. Compared to that of the inorganic nutrient solution, total yield was reduced by 10.9% in the organic nutrient solution system and 31.3% in solid organic manure treatment.     

Growth and nutrient partitioning of containerized Cercis siliquastrum L. under two fertilizer regimes

Lebanon's native flora is threatened by loss of natural habitat to rural and urban development and the increased demand of plant materials for landscaping. Despite Lebanon's floristic richness, most taxa used for landscaping are non-native. This study was done to determine if Cercis siliquastrum (L.) is amenable to container production. Therefore, six open pollinated seeds sources native to Lebanon were grown under two fertilizer rates to study growth, N, P, K uptake efficiency, and partitioning. Two-year-old seedlings were planted in 11 L containers in a 3:1 pine bark:compost substrate. Seedlings within each seed source or mother tree were grown at either 25 or 100 mg N L⁻¹ from 21N–3.1P–5.9K water-soluble fertilizer. Seedlings of all sources grown under 25 mg N L⁻¹ had greater dry weight than those grown at 100 mg. Nutrient loading occurred in plants under the high fertilizer rate, although total plant N, P, and K content were not affected by fertilizer rate. There were significant differences in mineral nutrient uptake and nutrient use efficiencies among the seed sources. The results show that C. siliquastrum is amenable to container production. The great variation in growth rate and nutrient use efficiency among the limited number of seed sources studied suggest that significant improvement can be made through mother tree selection and/or clonal propagation of superior individual plants within a source.     

Accumulation of phytotoxic organic acids in reused nutrient solution during hydroponic cultivation of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

Proper nutrient solution management in the root zone is the first consideration for the adoption of a closed hydroponic system. Plant roots often exude numerous organic acids, which are known to inhibit growth. To investigate the accumulation of these phytotoxic organic acids as root exudates, lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was hydroponically grown in reused nutrient solution. Organic acids were extracted with diethyl ether from the reused nutrient solutions (RNS), root residues, and activated charcoal (AC) then quantified by GC/MS. Five individual organic acids were identified from the root residues and seven from the reused nutrient solutions. After 90 days of lettuce cultivation, in the treated AC in 3RNS, benzoic, phenylacetic, cinnamic, p-hydroxybenzoic, lauric, phthalic, vanillic, palmitic, and stearic acids were identified. In contrast, little or no organic acids were detected in the 3RNS treated with AC (3RNS/AC). Artificially applied pure organic acids ranging from 25 to 200 μM inhibited lettuce growth in a concentration-dependent manner. Lettuce growth was also greatly reduced in the nutrient solutions containing a externally applied, simulated mixture of the organic acids as in the 3RNS. Lettuce growth was not inhibited following the addition of AC (2.5 g/L) to the nutrient solution containing the mixture of organic acids. Our results demonstrated that organic acids were accumulated in reused nutrient solutions and were phytotoxic to lettuce growth. Also, this study showed that the addition of AC reduces the phytotoxic effects by eliminating the organic acids.     

The influence of irrigation system and nutrient solution concentration on potted geranium production under various conditions of radiation and temperature

Zonal geranium (Pelargonium × hortorum ‘Real Mintaka’) were grown in closed soilless systems to evaluate the effects of irrigation system (drip and subirrigation) and nutrient solution concentration (half and full) under various conditions of radiation and temperature (winter and summer) in terms of substrate electrical conductivity (EC_s), growth, quality, crop evapotranspiration (ET_c) and growth index water use efficiency (WUE_GI) and nutrient uptake. At he end of the cultural cycle the highest EC_s in the upper and lower layers were recorded in the spring season on plants grown in subirrigation using a full nutrient solution concentration. The highest shoot biomass, leaf area, plant growth index, and quality index were recorded in the winter season on plants grown in both drip-irrigation and subirrigation using half and full nutrient solution concentration, whereas the lowest value was observed in the spring season on plants grown with subirrigation using the full nutrient solution concentration. The highest maximum air temperature recorded during the first 20 days after transplanting in the spring growing season was presumably responsible for the reduction in shoot biomass production, growth and quality index, and in time of geranium flowering compared to the plants grown in the winter season. The ET_c was 44% higher in spring than in winter season treatment, while the effect of the irrigation system was less pronounced with an increase in 11% in the subirrigation treatment compared with the drip-irrigation system. WUE_GI was not stable and showed a seasonal variability. Solar radiaton (R_s), air temperature (T_a) and vapour pressure deficit (VPD) were greatly higher in the spring season, which influenced WUE_GI negatively. The WUE_GI improved especially when R_s, T_a and VPD were below 12 MJ m², 20 °C and 0.6 kPa, respectively. The highest N, and Mg uptake were recorded in the winter season, especially on plants grown with subirrigation at 2 dS m⁻¹. The highest P, K, and Ca uptake values were measured during winter season using subirrigation system, and on plants grown under full strength nutrient solution. The variation of the nitrate concentration and EC in the nutrient solution during the spring growing cycle was less pronounced in the subirrigation than with a drip-irrigation system which represents an important aspect for the simplification of the closed loop management of the nutrient solution.