Evaluation of the Leakage Contamination through the Nutrient Parameters Levels of the Substrate Solution in Syngonium podophyllum “Silver” Crop

Abstract

Substrate solution constitutes a useful tool to evaluate the nutritional status of the root zone; this work studies the possibility of using the drainage and the suction cup solution to evaluate the nutritional parameters in leaching, avoiding analysis and simplifying the diagnosis model. The trial was carried out in an INSOLE‐type greenhouse (buried solar greenhouse), from 19 April to 19 September 2004 (20 weeks). There were four mineral fertilizer treatments: (SLF) standard liquid feeding, (LFSF) fertilizer (17‐8‐14) containing both nitrate (NO3 −‐N) and ammonium (NH4 +‐N) and a nitrification inhibitor 3,4‐dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP), and two coated controlled release fertilizers (CRF), the first one with Basacote Plus (16‐8‐12) + half concentration of SLF and the second one with Osmocote Plus (16‐8‐12) + half concentration of SLF. Nutrient, substrate, and leachate solutions were collected fortnightly. The parameters analyzed were pH, electrical conductivity (EC), NO3 −‐N, and NH4 +. There were significant differences between substrate solutions and leaching during the trial, especially when slow‐release fertilizers were applied. Leaching showed more extreme pH and EC levels than suction‐cup solutions, especially in the treatment with Basacote; however, NO3 −‐N and NH4 +‐N exhibited higher values in the suction‐cup solutions.