Marigold Varieties Vary in Susceptibility to Iron Toxicity

Abstract

Our objective was to assess the susceptibility of seven marigold varieties to Fe toxicity. Marigold varieties included were one hedge type, `Orange Jubilee'; five semi-dwarf types, `First Lady', `Gold Lady', `Orange Lady', `Marvel Gold', and `Yellow Galore'; and one dwarf type, `Discovery Orange'. Plants were grown in a greenhouse in a soilless medium and treatments consisted of 0.018 mm (low) and 0.36 mm (high) Fe-DTPA incorporated into a nutrient solution. Plant height was not affected by Fe treatment and ranged from 32 cm in `Orange Jubilee', 13 to 14 cm in the semi-dwarf varieties, and 7.0 cm in `Discovery Orange'. Leaf dry weight per plant was not affected by Fe treatment and ranged from 1.15 g in `Orange Jubilee', 0.68 to 0.95 g in the semi-dwarf varieties, and 0.56 g in `Discovery Orange'. Symptoms of Fe toxicity only developed in the high Fe treatment, and the percent leaf dry weight separated at harvest as symptomatic ranged from 97% in `Orange Jubilee', 55% to 85% in the semidwarf varieties, and 15% in `Discovery Orange'. The Fe concentration in leaves in the high Fe treatment was 5.7-times greater in `Orange Jubilee', 2 to 3-times greater in the semi-dwarf varieties, and 1.6-times greater in `Discovery Orange' than in the low Fe treatment. Based on these findings, `Orange Jubilee' and `Discovery Orange' were the most and least susceptible varieties, respectively, to Fe toxicity of the seven marigold varieties evaluated in this study.