Hydroponic Cultivation of Tomato

Mineral substrates used in plant hydroponic cultures should have low contents of the solid phase and good, stable air and water properties. Rockwool is a substrate with such properties, and it has been produced for plant culture systems since 1969 by I/S H.J. Henriksen and V. Kähler (Denmark). The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of an application of increasing manganese (Mn) and boron (B) concentrations added to a nutrient solution on the yielding, content of macro- and micronutrients in tomato leaves and fruits (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., cv. Alboney F1 and Emotion F1). Plants were grown in rockwool using a nutrient solution with the following content of Mn (mg dm−3): 0.06, 0.3, 0.6, and 1.2 mg dm−3 (Experiment I, 2008–2011) and 2.4, 4.8, 9.6, and 19.2 mg dm−3 (Experiment II, 2012)—designated the symbols for Mn: Mn-0, Mn-0.3, Mn-0.6, Mn-1.2, Mn-2.4, Mn-4.8, Mn-9.6, and Mn-19.2 and for B: (0.011), 0.4, 0.8, 1.6 in the form of Na2B4O7·10H2O (Experiment I) and boric acid H3BO3 (Experiment II) (combinations of the designated symbols, respectively, B-I, B-II, B-III, and B-IV). The influence of Mn and B nutrition on biometric parameters and chemical composition of leaves and fruits of tomato is discussed

The Influence of Slow-Release Fertilizers on the Growth, Flowering, and the Content of Macro- and Micronutrients in the Leaves of Cyclamen persicum Mill.

The influence of selected fertilizer within a 6-month period of operation was assessed: Basacote Plus 6M, Osmocote Plus 6M, Plantacote Plus 6M. Plants grown in the substrate without slow-release fertilizer, which were supplied with nutrients only for top dressing, were the control. Two cultivars of the Maxi type of cyclamen were grown in greenhouse in pots during the period from the 25th to the 50th week of the year. While planting the seedlings, 2 g of slow-release fertilizer were added to the substrate directly under the roots. From the third week of cultivation, the plants of each combination were fertilized with top dressing every week. Plant height and diameter, number of leaves, weight of the above-ground part, tuber diameter, earliness of flowering, number of flowers and buds, as well as the content of macro and micronutrients were assessed. The addition of Osmocote 6M or Plantacote 6M into the substrate resulted in plants with a larger fresh weight and larger diameter and earlier flowering with more flowers and buds at the end of the experiment than with Basacote 6M or with only top dressing. The applied slow-release fertilizers had an effect on the content of K, Ca, and Fe in the leaves of Persian cyclamen. The cultivar ‘Rainier White F1’ had significantly more leaves, buds, and flowers and a higher content of P, K, Cu, Zn, and Mn than the cultivar ‘Halios Pure White Compact F1’

Influence of increasing nickel content in soil on Miscanthus × giganteus Greef and Deu. Yielding and on the content of nickel in above-ground biomass / Wpływ wzrastającej zawartości niklu w glebie na plonowanie Miscanthus x giganteus Greef i Deu. i zawartość niklu w nadziemnej biomasie

Celem badań prowadzonych w dwuletnim doświadczeniu wazonowym w nieogrzewanym tunelu foliowym, było określenie przydatności Miscanthus × giganteus do fitoekstrakcji niklu z gleb, jak również ocena tolerancji tego gatunku na wzrastające stężenia tego metalu w glebie. Wazony wypełniono glebą mineralną (piasek słabo gliniasty) oraz mieszaniną gleby z torfem wysokim i wprowadzono do nich trzy poziomy zawartości niklu: 75 mg·dm-3 , 150 mg·dm-3 oraz 600 mg·dm-3 a jako warianty kontrolne zastosowano podłoża bez jego dodatku. Nikiel został wprowadzony tylko w pierwszym roku badań, w postaci siarczanu niklu (NiSO4·6H2O). Miscanthus × giganteus kumuluje znaczącą ilość niklu w biomasie. Miscanthus × giganteus rosnący w zanieczyszczonej glebie mineralnej okazał się gatunkiem tolerancyjnym na wysokie stężenia nikl

The Effect of Foliar Spray Treatments with Various Biostimulants and Fertilisers on the Growth of M.9 Rootstock Stoolings

An experiment was conducted to compare the effect of applying half a dose of a mineral fertiliser combined with a foliar treatment with four biostimulants and two fertilisers in relation to a full dose of a mineral fertiliser. The M.9 rootstock stoolings were sprayed four times during their growth. Each year of the experiment, the height, the diameter, the fresh weight of leaves and the leaf surface area of all stoolings were measured. The efficiency of rootstocks from one mother plant was assessed. Some parameters of physiological processes as well as the content of micro- and macronutrients in the leaves were also assessed. The research results showed that the reduced dose of the mineral fertiliser with foliar treatment did not significantly decrease the growth parameters of the M.9 rootstock stoolings. Some foliar treatments, especially Bioamino Plant and Bispeed, resulted in higher fresh weight and larger leaf area of the stoolings. The treatment with the Bioamino Plant biostimulant and two foliar fertilisers resulted in parameters of the physiological processes of stoolings that were the same as or better than those in the control plants. After the foliar application of two fertilisers, the content of macronutrients in the leaves of the stoolings was usually the same as in the control. The treatment with the biostimulants resulted in a lower content of most macronutrients in the plants (N, K and Ca). The only exception was the higher magnesium content than in the control after the treatment with all biostimulants and the same phosphorus content after the treatment with most of the biostimulants. The Aminoplant and Bispeed biostimulants increased the accumulation of iron in the leaves, whereas the Basfoliar 6-12-6 fertiliser resulted in higher zinc and copper content than in the control plants