Source: North Carolina Agricultural Research Service (NCARS) submitted to NRP
DETERMINING OPTIMUM NUTRITIONAL, PGR, AND HANDLING REGIMES TO MANAGE PLANT GROWTH AND MAXIMIZE POST-HARVEST LIFE
Sponsoring Institution
Agricultural Research Service/USDA
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0425428
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Aug 1, 2013
Project End Date
Jul 31, 2018
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
North Carolina Agricultural Research Service (NCARS)
North Carolina State University
Raleigh,NC 27695-7643
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
(N/A)
Animal Health Component
20%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
80%
Applied
20%
Developmental
0%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1021499102010%
1022122116045%
1022123102045%
Goals / Objectives
Determine optimum N:P:K ratios for managing plant growth on bedding and potted flowering plants and determine postharvest effects of such fertilizer regimes.
Project Methods
These studies are part of a long term project to determine optimum nutritional and plant growth management regimes for production of floriculture crops and to determine the postharvest effects of the production regimes and handling procedures. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the primary nutrients that have the greatest impact on plant growth. Plugs of two bedding and potted flowering plant species will be grown using a complete fertilizer until transplanting and for two weeks after transplanting in the final container. After transplanting, plants will be fertigated using various ratios of N:P:K (1:0.2:1, 1:0.2:0.75; 1:0. 2:0.5; 1:0.2:0.25, 1:0.2:0; 1:0.4:1; 1:0.1:1; 1:0:1) until plants reach marketable stage. Nitrogen will be set at 150 mg L-1 N. Micronutrient levels will be similar among the treatments. Data collected at termination of the production phase will include date of anthesis, plant height and diameter, overall quality, tissue nutrient values, substrate nutrient values, and foliar SPAD readings. After the production phase is completed plants will be stored in boxes for two days at 15°C. Data collected after unboxing will include number of yellow/abscised leaves and number of abscised flowers. Bedding plants will be placed under 70% shade in a polyethylene covered greenhouse simulating a commercial garden center. To simulate a home environment potted flowering plants will be placed in a postharvest evaluation room maintained at 21 ±2°C and 60±10% relative humidity under a PAR flux of approximately 20 mol¿m-2¿s-1 light from white fluorescent tubes at bench level on a daily 12 h¿d-1. Data will be collected after 7 days will include number of yellow/abscised leaves, number of abscised flowers, and SPAD readings.