Morphology and foliar chemistry of containerized Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir. seedlings as affected by water availability and nutrition

• We present the results of a two-year (2007–2008) greenhouse study investigating the effect of water availability and nitrogen fertilization on the growth, biomass partitioning, and foliar nutrient content of Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir. • Fertilizer and moisture content (irrigation) were varied in a factorial experiment combining four levels of irrigation and three levels of fertilization to evaluate growth and foliar nutrient content. In addition, a numerical optimization was used to estimate appropriate levels of each factor necessary to achieve simulated goals for response variables. • Irrigation increased the height growth by 12 to 35% depending on the fertilization treatment (p = 0.0001). Fertilization increased height growth by 10 to 26% (p = 0.02). A similar response was observed for stem diameter growth (SDG). Total biomass accumulation increased as result of positive response of stem and root biomass development, and foliar nitrogen content was positively affected by nitrogen fertilization and negatively affected by irrigation. The numerical optimization for simulated target growth and nitrogen content responses produced levels of input combinations with high desirability factors to achieve the target responses. • These results suggest that nutrient addition is a strong determining factor for early development of this species. The improved growth efficiency in this study is likely attributed to a combination of factors including, improved photosynthetic capacity, decreased stomatal limitations, or increased resource allocation to stems

Propriedades químicas e físicas de substratos de origem mineral e orgânica para o cultivo de mudas em recipientes Physical and chemical properties of substrats with mineral and organic origin for growth of potted plants

Realizou-se a caracterização química e física de cinco materiais [solo, areia, turfa SCv, casca de arroz carbonizada (CAC) e resíduo decomposto de casca de acácia (RDCA)] e de algumas de suas misturas [solo + areia (1:1), solo + areia + CAC (1:1:1), solo + areia + RDCA (1:1:1), turfa SCv + CAC (2:1), turva SCv + RDCA (2:1)] para verificar quais deles podem melhor adequar-se ao uso como substratos para produção de mudas frutíferas e de flores em recipientes. Foram avaliadas as seguintes características: pH em água (pH), teor total de sais solúveis (TTSS), capacidade de troca de cátions (CTC), teor de carbono orgânico (Corg.),. densidade seca (DS), porosidade total (PT), espaço de aeração (EA), água disponível (AD), água remanescente (AR) e distribuição do tamanho de partículas. O substrato turfa SCv + RDCA apresentou características químicas e físicas superiores para o uso hortícola.<br>Physical and chemical characterizations were done for five materials [soil, sand, peat SCv, carbonized rice husk (CRH) and decomposed acacia (Acacia mearnsii) bark after tannin extraction (DAB)] and some of their mixtures [soil + sand (1:1), soil + sand + CRH (1:1:1), soil + sand + DAB (1:1:1), peat + CRH (2:1), peat + DAB (2:1)], trying to identify which of them could be used as growing substrates for potted fruit and flower plant crops. The following properties were analyzed: water pH, salinity, cation extange capacity (CEC), organic carbon levels, dry density, total porosity, air space, available water, remaining water and particles distribution. The growing media "peat SCv + DAB" showed upper chemical and physical properties for the horticultural purposes defined