Abstract

A study was conducted with Lotus creticus and Limonium cossonianum to analyze the influence of irrigation regime in nursery on the dynamics of root development after being transplanted with minimum management conditions. Plants were pot-grown in a greenhouse located at the southeastern Mediterranean coast of Spain (37°47′N, 0°54′W). Each plant was potted into 625-mL plastic pot filled with a 1 silica sand medium: 1 peat (v/v) mixture amended with osmocote plus (3.7 g•kg-1 substrate). Drip irrigation was used, with a 2-L•h-1 emitter per plant. Three irrigation treatments were utilized: T6, plants watered 6 days a week at the water-holding capacity (leaching ≈20% of the applied water); T3, plants watered 3 days a week; and T2, plants watered twice a week. T3 and T2 plants received amounts of water at ≈50% and ≈30%, respectively, of T6 plants troughout the nursery period (3 months for Lotus and 45 days for Limonium). After nursery period, plants were transplanted into transparent containers (round acrylic tubes 8 cm in diameter and 100 cm tall) filled with silt loam texture soil, and just one establishment irrigation was applied (30 mm). Containers were covered with a black plastic sheet and isolating material to prevent light influencing and becoming heated. There were three replications. Plant root and top growth were measured every 3 days for 1 month. Results indicate that those plants that were less watered in nursery showed a greater and faster root development especially where depth was concerned. Lotus plants root growth, for the top 20 cm of soil, were not significantly affected by irrigation treatments; between 20 and 40 cm deep, T2 plants at 12 days after transplanting (DAT) had 2.8- and 9.1-times greater root length (RL) than T3 and T6 plants, respectively. At 30 DAT, T2 plants had 1.7- and 6.2-times higher RL than T3 and T6, respectively. Under 40-cm deep (where infiltration of the establishment irrigation water was very limited), only T2 plants developed roots. There was no plant top growth throughout this period. Limonium plants exhibited notably lower root development (≈1/5) than Lotus plants. In the top 15 cm of soil, Limonium plants RL were not significantly affected by irrigation treatment; between 15 and 30 cm deep, T2 and T3 plants, at 10 DAT, had 2.2-times longer RL than T6 plants, and at 30 DAT, T2 plants had 1.4- and 2.1-times greater RL than T3 and T6 plants, respectively. Below 30 cm, only T2 plants developed roots and, even so, very few ones. For this period, a slight plant top growth was observed, there being no significant differences among irrigation treatments. Research suported by CICYT grant AGF-96-1136-C02-02.

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