Productivity and nutrient recovery by fertigated flower varieties grown under screen house conditions

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to determine productivity and nutrient recovery by five fertigated new flower varieties (Gypsophilla paniculata, Solidago Canadensis, Celosia spicata, Aster amellus and Aster blanca) in screen house at MUARIK. A Randomised Complete Block Design was used having three blocks and five plots 0.96m2, each plot had plant population of 24 along four driplines of 0.2 m apart with drip outlets by flower plant bases at 0.2 m intervals . Oven dry weight of above ground biomass and total N, P, K and Ca contents were determined at 14 weeks from emergence. Partial factor productivities of individual and all nutrients were determined and was highest PFP phosphorus and least with N for all the flower varieties. Overall, Celosia spicata had the highest biomass production and PFP with al and individual nutrients. NUE determined as a ratio of nutrient input to nutrient output and showed a lowest P use efficiency and largest N use efficiency across all flower varieties. Although N use efficiency was the largest, it was still low (30 g/g) leaving much nitrogen in soils since high level of N was applied from fertigation and can be an environmental threat. Efficiency and responsiveness of five flower varieties showed Celosia spicata to be both efficient and responsive to application of the four nutrients whereas all the other four flower varieties were non efficient non responsive to nutrient application. Celosia spicata