reading water, media and tissue tests bodie v. pennisi extension floriculture specialist, uga
TRANSCRIPT
Reading Water, Media Reading Water, Media and Tissue Tests and Tissue Tests
Bodie V. PennisiExtension Floriculture Specialist, UGA
• Nutritional ?Nutritional ?
• Which nutrient(s) ?Which nutrient(s) ?
• Deficiency or toxicity ?Deficiency or toxicity ?
• Cause(s) ?Cause(s) ?
Investigate:Investigate:
High Nutrient High Nutrient Concentration in Concentration in
the Medium the Medium Causes Marginal Causes Marginal
Leaf BurnLeaf Burn
Water leaves the leaves via stomates, but the trace elements cannot escape. The effect is most pronounced at leaf margins where air movement causes the greatest
evaporation.
Problems
Mg Def: Lower leaves with interveinal chlorosisMg Def: Lower leaves with interveinal chlorosis(courtesy of Dr. Whipker, NCSU)
It Is All About the pH…
At high pH the micronutrients (Fe, Mn, B, Zn, Cu)
become less available.At low pH, they
become too available.
• lime incorporatedlime incorporated
• water alkalinity and pHwater alkalinity and pH
• type of fertilizer used (basic or type of fertilizer used (basic or acidic)acidic)
• species grownspecies grown
Media pH is affected by:Media pH is affected by:
• Geranium GroupGeranium Group• Plants that are very efficient in taking up FePlants that are very efficient in taking up Fe• Ex: seed and zonal geraniums, marygolds, Ex: seed and zonal geraniums, marygolds,
New Guinea impatiens, lisianthusNew Guinea impatiens, lisianthus
Crops Can Be Placed Into GroupsCrops Can Be Placed Into Groups
• Petunia GroupPetunia Group• Plants that are very inefficient in taking up Plants that are very inefficient in taking up
FeFe
• Ex: petunias, pansies, snapdragons, Ex: petunias, pansies, snapdragons, calibrachoa, vincacalibrachoa, vinca
The Goal Is To Achieve A Stable
Medium pH Over Time
The Goal Is To Achieve A Stable
Medium pH Over Time
Basic TestsBasic Tests Concentration of the Concentration of the
fertilizer solutionfertilizer solution
pH and soluble salts in pH and soluble salts in the growing mediumthe growing medium
Leaf tissue analysisLeaf tissue analysis
Water QualityWater Quality
Testing the growing Testing the growing mediummedium
EC (SS) and pH of the leachateEC (SS) and pH of the leachate
In-house tests can be done with the pour-In-house tests can be done with the pour-through methodthrough method
Sending samples to a lab: Sending samples to a lab: do notdo not use the top use the top 11//22 to 1 inch of the soilto 1 inch of the soil
NONO33---N, NH-N, NH44
++-N, P, K, Ca, Mg-N, P, K, Ca, Mg
0 to 0.30 to 0.3
0.3 to 0.80.3 to 0.8
0.8 to 1.30.8 to 1.3
1.3 to 1.81.3 to 1.8
1.8 to 2.31.8 to 2.3
> 2.3> 2.3
1:21:2 SMESME PourThruPourThru IndicationIndication
0 to 0.80 to 0.8
0.8 to 2.00.8 to 2.0
2.0 to 3.52.0 to 3.5
3.5 to 5.03.5 to 5.0
5.0 to 6.05.0 to 6.0
> 6.0> 6.0
0 to 1.00 to 1.0
1.0 to 2.61.0 to 2.6
2.6 to 4.62.6 to 4.6
4.6 to 6.54.6 to 6.5
6.6 to 7.86.6 to 7.8
> 7.8> 7.8
Very LowVery Low
LowLow
NormalNormal
HighHigh
Very HighVery High
ExtremeExtreme
Different Methods to Measure ECDifferent Methods to Measure EC
Sending tissue samples for Sending tissue samples for analysisanalysis
For routine analysis: young, but full-grown For routine analysis: young, but full-grown leaves near the top of the canopyleaves near the top of the canopy Rinse the leaves gently if fertilizer was applied Rinse the leaves gently if fertilizer was applied
with an overhead irrigation systemwith an overhead irrigation system
B, Ca, Fe, Mn, Zn (not readily translocated B, Ca, Fe, Mn, Zn (not readily translocated within the plant)within the plant) Younger leavesYounger leaves
ChrysanthemumsChrysanthemums
Upper leaves – N, Ca, S, Fe, BUpper leaves – N, Ca, S, Fe, B
Lower leaves – K, Mg, ZnLower leaves – K, Mg, Zn
Upper or lower leaves – P, MnUpper or lower leaves – P, Mn
Middle leaves – Cu Middle leaves – Cu
Routine analysis – most recent fully mature Routine analysis – most recent fully mature leafleaf
Tissue AnalysisTissue Analysis
Concentrations of Concentrations of macro- and macro- and micronutrientsmicronutrients
These analyses may These analyses may or may not include or may not include recommendations, recommendations, depending on the labdepending on the lab
1.1. Need test for alkalinityNeed test for alkalinity2.2. Need Need Fluorine (F) and/or Chlorine Fluorine (F) and/or Chlorine
(Cl) if high levels are suspected.(Cl) if high levels are suspected.