Nutrient management in potted Syngoniums using water soluble fertilizers and biofertilizers: effects on growth and soil fertility

Abstract

The global ornamental plant market has been providing economic stability to nations for decades. To achieve enhanced productivity of ornamental plants, it is necessary to develop effective nutrient management techniques. A 2-year study was conducted to develop efficient nutrient management protocols for Syngonium ( Syngonium podophyllum Schott.), a high-value, commercial-potential plant. The experiments were conducted in a completely randomized design with 11 nutrient management treatments, comprising different doses of water soluble fertilizer (WSF) alone or in combination with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) or phosphorus solubilizing biofertilizer (PSB), and these treatments were compared with commercial fertilizer as well as control. The results revealed that the integrated use of WSF with its higher dose (4 g kg−1soil) and PSB (200 mg kg−1soil) application significantly improved the plant height and the plant spread by 10.4%–25.2% and 5.7%–12.6%, respectively. Furthermore, the soil fertility and nutrient concentration in the leaves were also observed to be significantly improved due to the combined application of WSF and PSB. Likewise, the maximum leaf fresh (257.5 g) and dry weight (36.1 g) were recorded in treatment with WSF 4 g + PSB. However, WSF in conjunction with AMF resulted in the highest root fresh and dry weight over other nutrient combinations. In conclusion, it was found that for better foliage and root growth of Syngonium with improved soil fertility and plant nutrient content, integrated application of WSF with either PSB and (or) AMF is suitable.