Fertilizer Rate and Substrate Water Content Effect on Growth and Flowering of Beardtongue

Research has shown that reduced irrigation and fertilizer rates can still produce good plant growth when irrigation is applied efficiently to reduce leaching. The impact of reduced irrigation and fertilizer rate on flowering and plant growth would provide additional information on the potential for...

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Main Author: Amanda Bayer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-09-01
Series:Horticulturae
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/6/3/57
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author Amanda Bayer
author_facet Amanda Bayer
author_sort Amanda Bayer
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description Research has shown that reduced irrigation and fertilizer rates can still produce good plant growth when irrigation is applied efficiently to reduce leaching. The impact of reduced irrigation and fertilizer rate on flowering and plant growth would provide additional information on the potential for reduced production inputs. The objective of this research was to quantify the impact of reduced irrigation and fertilizer rate on growth and flowering of Ruby Candle beardtongue (<i>Penstemon</i> × ‘Ruby Candle’). A soil moisture sensor automated irrigation system was used to maintain plants at 40% volumetric water content [VWC; well-watered (WW)] or 18% VWC (reduced irrigation, RI). A controlled release fertilizer was applied at 100%, 50%, and 25% of the bag rate (12 g/plant). There was not a significant treatment effect on any flower parameter. Average plant height was greatest for plants receiving the 50% fertilizer rate (75.9 cm) and was lowest for the 100% fertilizer rate (64.5 cm). Internode length was greater for WW plants (36.9 mm) than RI plants (32.4 mm). Well-watered plants had greater fresh weight (99.1 g) than RI plants (79.2 g) and 100% fertilizer rate (97.1 g) was greater than the 25% fertilizer rate (82.7 g).
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spelling doaj.art-51f46f838d1440b9b90b715c949ab5a42023-11-20T13:57:18ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242020-09-01635710.3390/horticulturae6030057Fertilizer Rate and Substrate Water Content Effect on Growth and Flowering of BeardtongueAmanda Bayer0Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts, 210 Bowditch Hall, Amherst, MA 01003, USAResearch has shown that reduced irrigation and fertilizer rates can still produce good plant growth when irrigation is applied efficiently to reduce leaching. The impact of reduced irrigation and fertilizer rate on flowering and plant growth would provide additional information on the potential for reduced production inputs. The objective of this research was to quantify the impact of reduced irrigation and fertilizer rate on growth and flowering of Ruby Candle beardtongue (<i>Penstemon</i> × ‘Ruby Candle’). A soil moisture sensor automated irrigation system was used to maintain plants at 40% volumetric water content [VWC; well-watered (WW)] or 18% VWC (reduced irrigation, RI). A controlled release fertilizer was applied at 100%, 50%, and 25% of the bag rate (12 g/plant). There was not a significant treatment effect on any flower parameter. Average plant height was greatest for plants receiving the 50% fertilizer rate (75.9 cm) and was lowest for the 100% fertilizer rate (64.5 cm). Internode length was greater for WW plants (36.9 mm) than RI plants (32.4 mm). Well-watered plants had greater fresh weight (99.1 g) than RI plants (79.2 g) and 100% fertilizer rate (97.1 g) was greater than the 25% fertilizer rate (82.7 g).https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/6/3/57<i>Penstemon</i>sensor irrigationreduced irrigationcontainer productionvolumetric water content
spellingShingle Amanda Bayer
Fertilizer Rate and Substrate Water Content Effect on Growth and Flowering of Beardtongue
Horticulturae
<i>Penstemon</i>
sensor irrigation
reduced irrigation
container production
volumetric water content
title Fertilizer Rate and Substrate Water Content Effect on Growth and Flowering of Beardtongue
title_full Fertilizer Rate and Substrate Water Content Effect on Growth and Flowering of Beardtongue
title_fullStr Fertilizer Rate and Substrate Water Content Effect on Growth and Flowering of Beardtongue
title_full_unstemmed Fertilizer Rate and Substrate Water Content Effect on Growth and Flowering of Beardtongue
title_short Fertilizer Rate and Substrate Water Content Effect on Growth and Flowering of Beardtongue
title_sort fertilizer rate and substrate water content effect on growth and flowering of beardtongue
topic <i>Penstemon</i>
sensor irrigation
reduced irrigation
container production
volumetric water content
url https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/6/3/57
work_keys_str_mv AT amandabayer fertilizerrateandsubstratewatercontenteffectongrowthandfloweringofbeardtongue