Response of <i>Tagetes patula</i> L. and <i>Ageratum houstonianum</i> Mill. to Microbial Biostimulant Inoculation and Organic Fertilization
A correct cultivation technique supported by scientific evidence that leads to high-quality standards can promote sustainable floriculture. It is urgent to find alternative solutions to the widely used chemical fertilizers and evaluate the effectiveness of other fertilizers. The liquid organic ones,...
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/10/2522 |
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| author | Alessandro Miceli Alessandra Moncada Filippo Vetrano Alessandro Esposito |
| author_facet | Alessandro Miceli Alessandra Moncada Filippo Vetrano Alessandro Esposito |
| author_sort | Alessandro Miceli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A correct cultivation technique supported by scientific evidence that leads to high-quality standards can promote sustainable floriculture. It is urgent to find alternative solutions to the widely used chemical fertilizers and evaluate the effectiveness of other fertilizers. The liquid organic ones, already in use in organic vegetable farming, could be a good substitute if supplied together with growth-promoting products such as microbial biostimulants. In the hope of replacing the traditional chemicals with a more sustainable organic-based fertilization, the present investigation aimed to evaluate the effects of a microbial biostimulant and various combinations of organic and mineral fertilization on morphological characteristics and physiological parameters of <i>Tagetes patula</i> L. and <i>Ageratum houstonianum</i> Mill. The plants were grown in pots with a substrate inoculated or not with the microbial biostimulant and were fertigated with nutrient solutions at different concentrations of elements from mineral and/or organic sources. Six fertilization formulas were adopted: control (only water without fertilizer), 100% mineral fertilization, 50% mineral fertilization, 100% organic fertilization, 50% organic fertilization, and 50% mineral + 50% organic fertilization. For the organic fertilization, a commercial liquid fertilizer admitted in organic farming with 3-2-5.5 NPK with 3% organic nitrogen was used. Mineral fertilization was formulated to match the organic solution as closely as possible. We observed an improvement in ornamental value (stem diameter and shoot number) with the biostimulant inoculum. Generally, the 50% mineral and 50% organic fertilization did not negatively influence the morphological characteristics. The reduction by 50% in the mineral nutrients and the integration of this reduction with an organic fertilizer was feasible to produce potted plants of these species during spring in the Mediterranean area. |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:30:32Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
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| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-9484551f75524a5885bc21dc613a85852023-11-19T15:21:22ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952023-09-011310252210.3390/agronomy13102522Response of <i>Tagetes patula</i> L. and <i>Ageratum houstonianum</i> Mill. to Microbial Biostimulant Inoculation and Organic FertilizationAlessandro Miceli0Alessandra Moncada1Filippo Vetrano2Alessandro Esposito3Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 4, 90128 Palermo, ItalyDipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 4, 90128 Palermo, ItalyDipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 4, 90128 Palermo, ItalyDipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 4, 90128 Palermo, ItalyA correct cultivation technique supported by scientific evidence that leads to high-quality standards can promote sustainable floriculture. It is urgent to find alternative solutions to the widely used chemical fertilizers and evaluate the effectiveness of other fertilizers. The liquid organic ones, already in use in organic vegetable farming, could be a good substitute if supplied together with growth-promoting products such as microbial biostimulants. In the hope of replacing the traditional chemicals with a more sustainable organic-based fertilization, the present investigation aimed to evaluate the effects of a microbial biostimulant and various combinations of organic and mineral fertilization on morphological characteristics and physiological parameters of <i>Tagetes patula</i> L. and <i>Ageratum houstonianum</i> Mill. The plants were grown in pots with a substrate inoculated or not with the microbial biostimulant and were fertigated with nutrient solutions at different concentrations of elements from mineral and/or organic sources. Six fertilization formulas were adopted: control (only water without fertilizer), 100% mineral fertilization, 50% mineral fertilization, 100% organic fertilization, 50% organic fertilization, and 50% mineral + 50% organic fertilization. For the organic fertilization, a commercial liquid fertilizer admitted in organic farming with 3-2-5.5 NPK with 3% organic nitrogen was used. Mineral fertilization was formulated to match the organic solution as closely as possible. We observed an improvement in ornamental value (stem diameter and shoot number) with the biostimulant inoculum. Generally, the 50% mineral and 50% organic fertilization did not negatively influence the morphological characteristics. The reduction by 50% in the mineral nutrients and the integration of this reduction with an organic fertilizer was feasible to produce potted plants of these species during spring in the Mediterranean area.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/10/2522bedding plantsFrench marigoldflossflowerliquid fertilizercultivation techniqueorganic farming |
| spellingShingle | Alessandro Miceli Alessandra Moncada Filippo Vetrano Alessandro Esposito Response of <i>Tagetes patula</i> L. and <i>Ageratum houstonianum</i> Mill. to Microbial Biostimulant Inoculation and Organic Fertilization Agronomy bedding plants French marigold flossflower liquid fertilizer cultivation technique organic farming |
| title | Response of <i>Tagetes patula</i> L. and <i>Ageratum houstonianum</i> Mill. to Microbial Biostimulant Inoculation and Organic Fertilization |
| title_full | Response of <i>Tagetes patula</i> L. and <i>Ageratum houstonianum</i> Mill. to Microbial Biostimulant Inoculation and Organic Fertilization |
| title_fullStr | Response of <i>Tagetes patula</i> L. and <i>Ageratum houstonianum</i> Mill. to Microbial Biostimulant Inoculation and Organic Fertilization |
| title_full_unstemmed | Response of <i>Tagetes patula</i> L. and <i>Ageratum houstonianum</i> Mill. to Microbial Biostimulant Inoculation and Organic Fertilization |
| title_short | Response of <i>Tagetes patula</i> L. and <i>Ageratum houstonianum</i> Mill. to Microbial Biostimulant Inoculation and Organic Fertilization |
| title_sort | response of i tagetes patula i l and i ageratum houstonianum i mill to microbial biostimulant inoculation and organic fertilization |
| topic | bedding plants French marigold flossflower liquid fertilizer cultivation technique organic farming |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/10/2522 |
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