University of Nigeria Virtual Library

Serial No

Author 1

MBAH B. N.

Author 2

EKE E. C. Author 3

Title

Effects of Lime and Micronutrients on the Growth of Marigold (Tagetes Erectal) in

Riversand, Sawdust and Rice Hull Potting Media_

Keywords

Description

Effects of Lime and Micronutrients on the

Growth of Marigold (Tagets Erectal) in Riversand, Sawdust and Rice Hull Potting Media

Category

Agriculture

Publisher

Publication Date

1995

Signature

D r . B.N. M b a h C D r . E.C. Eke ...................................... De ~irr'L111u11r 1,; C r o p Science ... lee.e*..r Un ive rs i t y o f Nigeria . . . ...................................

'NSUKKA w r f i e r # o r . e ~ * e * , . - . ~ . . . . . . . . . . . ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . . .

Dr. Mbi.111 . Uuar ....,.....,..........

184 r 93 1 aw plc trved Cu i n f o r m yuu rh:lt y ~ u r rcv-itieti urdnuu<riyc No. &lS . . . . I . . .. "Effect of Lillie and klicrorlutricr~tiCOIn73-C' g r o w t h o f I'ot m~~&wld ........

f..LL+UU m*............................ ~............,..,,......,*,,,..*,.**. [T- evrct.t ( L . ) ) in ~ r v a r s d ~ i d , ' Sonwdnst a n d [<ice Hull Media"

c * . -. r n m t ~ c r ~ n - 6 > . . . - . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................ ....,. ....,..I

I n duu cuuruc.

- - ""'ZTS OF LIME AND MICRONUTRIENTS ON THE G R O W H OF MARIGOLD (TAGETES ERECTA L \ IN RIVERSAND, SAWDUST AND RICE HULL POTTING MEDIA

8. N. Mbah and E. C.'Eke Deparlment of Crop Science, .

University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

ABSTRACT

Marigold (Tagefes erecta L.).), was grown in five media viz.: 100% riversand, 100% rice hul!, 100% sawdust, 50% riversand/50% rice hull, arid 50% rivccsandt 50% sawdusl (by volume). Each '

medium was amended with lime and rnicronulrienls e!ements in the following four cornbinatian; I lime and micronutrients, lime only, micronul~-ients oriiy and on lime and no micronulrienls. The results indicated that shoot and root dry weights, and the wmber of blooms were highest in 1130% riversand medium amended with l ipe and micronulrients. The medium 100% rice hull amended with limr only followed very closely in performance. Root growth was improved in riversalldlrice , and saw rclsVriversand media when compared with 100% rice hull and 100% sawdust rnedia. 0' the five media, 100% sawdust performed best and riversand the worsl i r l terms of plant growtk when no lime and no vicronutrient were used. m e n limed, 100% rice hull or 50% river'sarid/53% rice hull contained adequate micronulrienl to support good pot plan1 growth.

The bulk of pot plants grown in Nigeria today still ulilires topsoil as the growing medium. In. rnany parts of the wodd especially the developed world, soilless riiedia are used wit t t W , allerldar~l advantages which incl~!cle repr'oducibility, liyhl weight, and absencc of sol! Sarrie '

pathogens (Bunt, 1976). I t has been recognired that there is 110 si~igle rned~urr~ ttial best for all plants, but a number of

'

rnedta have been used to grow pot plants successfully. The physical pcopc~lios of tile ~ l ~ c d ~ u ~ r i al'c considered more critical Ihan the chemical pruperties, because the chc~~iicat'prope;Iles call be inure easily corrected Ilrrough fertilization and pH control. The chc~nical propellies af soilless .

media are deternriried by ttre chemical prcperlies of the chernical nature of the corllQ~rl:?rlt:i used to compound them, sirice most media in use are mixtures of two or rnol-c colnporrellls TIN! UC (University of Califor~lia) rnrx utilized ill marly park of the Un~ted Slates is a ~rl~xture of finr sar~d and pealrnoss (Baker, 1972).

When potting rnedia that do not contain topsoil are in use, rnicror\ulrierhs that are rlorrr\aIly present in the topsoil rnay become limiting t r i such media. hdt?q\~,?k p1a11I IJIOWIII 411 such slluatio~j I-quires micror~ulrior~t adclitror~. 111 the develuped world, micronutrienls are added to soilless rnediurn routinely, commonly in fritted forms in which it is slowly available. This study whlch is a part of our work to develop suitable media forc pol plarrl. production was rnn'icd out al the greenhouse area 01 lire D I : ~ ~ I ~ I I I ~ ~ ! of crop Scie~lce, University of Nigrt~i~i, Nsukka. Wc investigate the effects of lime and micron~~trients addition on t he g~owlh of pot marigold ill tive rvedia utilizing three cornmonly available rnedia cornporlents - riversand, rice hull, arrd sawdust.

MATERIALS AND METHODS 4

Treat__ ~ ~ l s . ~ n n s i s t e d of five media namely 100°/o riversand, 100% rice hull, 100% sawdust, 50% riversand/S0% rice hull, and'50°/~riversar~dl 50% sawdust (mixed by volume). combined in all possible combinatiori with four lime and micronutricnt amendment to give 20 treatment combinations (table 1). Riversand was obtained and sieved to remove sand particles grealer than 2.0mm and that less than 0.1 5mm in diameter before use. The nutrient content of Ihe rice hull, sawdust and riversand used in the study is show[; in [able 2. The plasiic pots used for growing the crop received 1.4 L of the appropriate medium. Single superphosphate was added dry at rhe rate of 29 per 1.4 L of medium as blanket treatment, while dolomitic limestone was also added dry to the treatments receiving lime al the rate of 39 per 1.4 i of medium. The rn~cronulrient added in solution were Bo, Mn. Cu, Mo, and Fe. The micronutrient solution thal is a modified Corm of Steiner nutrient solulion (Steiner 1961) supplied Ihe following Bo l.Opprn, Mn l.OOpprn, Zn O.lppm, Cu O.lpprn, Mo O.lppm, and Fe 9.lppm. Fe was chelated with Na-EDTA. Micronutrient was added to the appropriate treatment during nonnal liquid feeding. A completely randomized design was used with five replications.

Marigold seedlings were raised frorn seed and transplaritcd afler foul-weeks irito pots containing 1.4 L of each medium. Three plants wcre planked pcr pot, which is essential for the production of a full pot flower crop with aesthetic flower display, and growl to flowering.

Liquid feeding was applied during the period of growth lo supply 200ppm nilroger~, 150ppm polassium, and 20ppm Mg, which we have used to produce pot plants successfully. Liquid feeding was applied lo leaching poi~lt, every other day. The crop was grown tmlil flowering -s ix weeks, after which the following measurements were made; pant height, plant canopy width, number of flower buds formed, number of flowers, flower diameter, shoot dry weight, and root dry weight. A plant index (height x widthl2O was calculated according to Ihe method of Regulski (1982). The experiment was repeated two limes with the difference being that in the first experiment, sawdust was collected and used afler seven weeks, while in Ihe second experiment - the sawdust was used after 13 weeks. The heap of sawdust was leH without any atternpt to affect decomposition. The data analysis of variance of each experiment sowed thal Ihe error var-iarice were homogenous for both years hence lhe data wew yoolcd aud ritialyzed. O~lhogo~ial comparisons were made to partitior\ Ihe differences d l ~ e to lirne arid rnicror~utr~ent !realrnenls. The cffed of lime on pH of medium before planting was determined, and is show^^ in t a t ) l r > 2

Resull

Shoot and root dry weight Table 3 shows the effects of liming and nircronutrient on Shoot and root dry weights of

marigold grown in rive media. In 100% rive~sand rnediurn (RS), urnissiun of lirne significanliy reduced shoot and root dry weights, whilr: 11irc;1~o11ul1~itl111 i ~ t J c l ~ l ~ t ~ ~ \ i ~ l u ~ ~ c d~ t l rwt s~y ru l~ca~~ l l y Illcrease shoot and rout dry weight production above the control (no lirne and no micronutrienl). . But when limed micronutrient significantly increased these two plant parameters. Table 3 also shows that liming 700% rice hull medium (RH) resulted in sigriificanl increase in shoo1 and 1'001 dry weighl production, while addition of micronutrierit and lime reduced ttiern. tlighust shoot and root dry weights.were obtained in 100°/~ RH medium when only limed, wilhoul micronutrient, while the least shoot and root dry weights were obtained when both micronutrienl and lime were omitted(control).

In riversandtrice hut1 mixture (RSRH), significanlly more shoot and root dry weights were produced when limed fhan when not limed, while micronutrient addition had no significarit effecl. Table 3 furlher shows that adi-tilion of both lime and micronutrient to 100% sawdust rnediurn (SO) reduced shoot and roo1 dry weighls when cornpared with conlrol. Odhogonal partitioning showed that no liming produced sigrlificanlly more shoot dry weight than liming. Shoot dry weight in riversand/sawdust medium (RSSD) was no1 siynificantly affeded by liming, but root dry weight was significantly higher wherl limed than when no1 limed. Micronutrient addition significantly increased root dry weight in the medium.

., Among the media, the following trends were observed; root growth in rice hull and sawdust was improved by mixing with riversand. Riversand alone (RS) produced the highest total root dry weigh: while rice hull alone (RH) produced the least growtli.

Flower bud initiation and flower formation. Table 4 sows the number of flower buds initiated arid !he number of flowers formed in !he five

media as affected by lime and micronutrient addition. NO flower buds were initiated when RSwas not limed. Aflcr liming, micronutrient addition did'nol fulher increase the number of flower buds

'

initiated. Of the 39 flower buds initialed in RS, 11 developed into flowers when both lirne and rnicrorrutrient were added, while omission of micronutrient in limed RS medium produced one flower out of the 42 flower buds initiated.

In RH medium, liming produced significantly more flower buds and flowers than and flowers than no lirning. When linied, micronutric~rt additiorr slightly reduced the rlurnber of flower buds

, initiated and flowers fonned, when compared to when no micronutrient was added. Unlimed but micronutrient amended RH medium, initiated flower buds, but out of the 21 flower buds only one developed into flower, while control, without lirned and rnicr'onutrierit did not produce any flower out of the 19 flower buds iri~tiated. Similar trend was observed for riversandhice hull medium (RSRH) as in RH. However the absolute number of flowers formed were less in RSRH than in RH medium.

In the sawdust medium {SD), (Table 4), number of flower buds initiated and flowers formed were not significantly affected by iiming and micronutrient. Rather, control (no lime no

r- '. ; micronutrient) produced more buds than when amendment was added. The number of flower buds initiated in RSSD was not atlected by addition of lime. Orthogonal partitionirig (table 4), showed that micronutrient significantly increased the nwnber of flower buds initiated. More flowers were formed in lirned than in unlimed RSSD medium and significantly more when micronutrient was added than when it was not added.

. -- - - --- Flower size arla plant index

Flower size was significantly reduced by omission of micronutrient in limed R 5 (table 5). , Unlimed RS medium did not produce any flower. I r i limed 100% RH medium, microriutrient did not affect flower size but significantly smaller sized bloor~is were formed in unlirned RH medium amended with rnicronutrient. River sand1 rice hull (RSRH) medium followed the same trend as RH

In SO medium, flower size was not significantly affected by lirne and rnicronutrierlt amendments. In RSSD medium, lime and micro significantly increased flower size. The largest blooms vl?re produced when both lime and mic~~orrutriunt were added, while the srnallest blooms were produced when both amendments were omitted (control).

The plant index measured the height and spread of the plant and is indicative of tolal growlh. According to table 5, omission of micronutrient significantly reduced plant index i r l limed RS, In 100% RH, lime produced sigrlificantly higher plarrt index. Similar trend was observed in RSRH medium as in RH. Lime and micronutrient did not affect plant index in SD. In RSSD medium, micronutrient significantly increased plant index while lime did not affect it.

Discussion

Shoot growth, root growth and growtli index

The use of river sand alone as a medium for Q r ~ i n g potted marigold is possible when both lime and micronutrient were supplied. Lirne addit io~~ was more imporlant Ihan n-~icronulrient for ,

vegetative growth since unlirned plants with or without micronutrient grew poorly and died w h k lirne alone withaul micronutrient addiiion, produced goad shoot and root growth in the medium. A pH of 6.4 in unlimed RS was adequate for nutrient availability if present in the medium. But ., since the plants in Ihe unlimed RS q e w poor-ly and died, this r:ould have beerr among 0 t h l l~mgs due tu lack of Ca (lime element) which was low in river sand medium (table 2), Wheri this element was supplied by liming there was adequate vegetative growth in the medium. Furlhcrrnore addiliorr of rr~icroriutrierlt in ttre presence of l~rrre irweasetl 11Ii11it i ~ ~ ( l e x (;I I I \ ( f i ISL i iC 01

. total growth). Although some micronutrient elements were presenl in 'river sand (table 2), lhey were generally inadequate hence addition of micronutrient was necessary for adequate growth of

'marigold in RS medium. Another problem in the use RS as a medium is its large mass, Ihis makes handling difficult, a light weight material is preferred since lhey can be handled with much ease. The good dr'air~age ar~d yood aeration properties of sand are known, this was shown in this study by very high root growth in the riversand alone and improved root gfowth when riversand was mixed with sawdust or rice hull cornpared to when they were used singly.

In 100% nce hull rnediurn (RH), liminy orily without rnicro~~utrient addition, produced the best shoot and root growth. The nutrierit content of RH used is shown in table 2, the micronutrient content was high enough such that addition of an amendment of micronutrient may have reached . toxic lcvcl to depress growth of the marigold plants. Other workers, Adams et a/ (1980), Einerl and Baker (1973) reporled that the level of the micronutrient Mn was t ~ i y l ~ in parboiled rice hull, while Zn, Cu, and Fe were present. These reports are I agreement with the result of our study in which the niicrdnutrient Fe and Mn were high and Zn and Cu present in RS medium. The pH of unlimed P ' i was low (table 6) allhough it was at the lower end of the accepted range, hence

. liming was necessary lo raise the pH of RH medium for better plant growth. In 100% sawdust medium (SD), liming reduced growth probably due to the high pH of sawdust

(table 5). High pH is detrimental to plant growth due to its effect on nutrient availabihty and uptake. A pH range of 5.5 lo 6.5 was recommended for good pot plant production by Bunt (1976), and Boxma and Van Lwit (1983) shhwed that at high pH micr.onut~-ient availability was a problem. At ph 7.5 which was the average pH of limed SD medium, Lucas and Davis (1961) showed that availability of Mo, Bo, Cu, and Zn were greatly reduced in organic. soils The nutrient content of

r ' i the sawd-ust used (table 2) was good and withoul l~rning better growth was achieved. The best growth of marigold in SD was lherefore obtained when no amendment (lime or micronutrient) was used. However in sawdust mixed with riversand medium (RSSD), a diluting effect due to nversand was ohsewed and root growth (but not shoot growth) was enhanced by addition of both lime and micronutrient. The improved aeratiori ot the RSSD rrictliurn due lo riversand rnay have furlher improved root growth.

-.. ~-

Flower buids, I I U V , C ~ number and size A large number of flower buds initiated in limed RS rnediurn failed to develop into mature

flower, and flower size was reduced when rrr~cronut~'ielit was omitted. The nutrient content of RS' (table 2) was very low, arid the nlicronutnent content very inadequilte, 1rf:rlce although flower buds were formed, they could not develop into mature flowers without niicronutrient amendment. This is similar lo the work of Aclarns .?I a1 (5980) who rcpollcd that 111 glasshquse grown carnations, less than 10% of the buds forrned developed into flowers when the micronutrient Bo was omitted. And in chrysanthemum, Graves el 81 (1978) showed that the number of flowers forrned was influenced by the micronutrient Cu.

In the medium loo1.%, rice hull (RH) the rnicronut~ierlt conterlt was adequate and only liming was required for the production of mature flowers, hence the highest number of flowers was produced

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when lime was added without any micronutrient. And unlimed but micronutrient amended RS produced plants with small sized blooms. In RSRH the trend was similar to that in RH except that the absolute number of flowers formed were reduced.

In 100% sawdust medium (SD), flower bud initiation and flower formation had the least for any amendment wilh lime or micronutrient, when compared wilh other media. This is because pH was Adequate without lirr~ir~g and the riutr.ient coriter~t was yood. However ill RSSD, additiof~ of rnicronutri .at enhanced bud initiation, number of flowers fomierl and flowcr size. This can be r:xpleiricd ori ttlc basis of thc reduclior~ tllc a~riount ol IIIICI-~INI~I'ICII~ contnb~rlcd by sawd~~st due to the addition of riversand.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Aulhors thank the Senate Research Grant Committee of the

University of Nigeria for financial support of this study.

REFERENCES

Adams, P. , Graves. C, J. and W~nssr, G. W. (1 980). Sornc: ellecls of rnic~onutrients and liming on the production and quality of glasshouse Carnations grown in pear-sand substrate. J. of Hod. Sci. 55(2) 89 -- 36.

Baker, K. F. It9721 The U.C. system for producing heallhy container grown plants. Call. Agric Expt. Station Extension Service. pp.331.

Boxma, R and B. Van Lwil (1983). The use of iron chelales in cornpund ferlilizers containing . trace elements. Cornmi~t~rcatioi~ in Sod Science and Plar~t Analysis. 14: 321 - 331

Bunt, A. C. (1976), Modern Potting Compost. Penn, State Univ. Press. University Park, pp. 277

Einect, A. E. and Baker, E. C. (1973). Rice hulls as & w i n g medium component for cut tulips. J. Amer. Soc. Hod. Sci. 98(6): 556 - 558.

Graves, 6, J., Adams, P. and win&, G. W. (1978). The regulation of flowering by Cu in ChrysanN~emum moriflolium. Annals of Botar~y. 42(181) 1242 - 1243.

Lucas, R. F.and Davis, J. K. (1961). Relationships between pH values of,organic soils and availahlily of 12 plan1 nutrienls. Sod Sci 92' 177 - 182. Regulski, F. J. (1982). Evaluation of gasified residue as a container medium for woody or-narnenlals. HMScience. 17 (2) : 209 - 210.

Steiner, A. A. (1961). A universal method of preparing nutrient solutions of a cerlain desired composition. Plant and Soil. 15: 134 - 154.

- Table 1. Treatmenl conlbination used in the study.

Lme and micronutrient ilmenclrnent

. *

Media Lime and Lime and No No lime No lime and ~icronhr ient micronutrient and Micronutrient No rnicronulrient (+L +M) (+L -M) (-L +M) (-L -M)

100% Riversand RSI+L +M RSkL -M (RS)

100% Rice hull .RH/+L +M) RH/+L -M (RH)

100% Sawdust SD/+L +M SD/+L -M (SD)

50% Riversand & 50% Rice hull RSRH/+L +M RSRH/+L +

(RSRH)

RSt-L +M

RH&L +M

SDI-L +M SDI-L -M

50% Riversand &

RS = Riversafid; RH = Rice hull; SD = Sawdmt +L = Lime aUded; -L = No lime; +M = Micronutrient added; -M = No rnicronulfient.

Table 2. Nutrient corltenl of Rice.hull, Sawdust and Riversand (pprn)

Element Rice hull Sawdust I3iversand

Total Nitrogen

Total P

Ca 2+

Mg 2+

Na +

K +

Fe 2+

Mn

z11

Cu

Table 3 Effect of limrng alicl mrcroriulrier~t 01) rnearl shoot and root 61y we~ghts (glpot) in five media. .- - - - - - - --

--

Medium Amendment Shoot Root dry weight dry weight

+L +M 100% Riversand (RS) +L -M

-L +M -L -M

+L +M 100% Rice hull (RH) +L -M

-L +M -L -M

1 :1 RSRH

+L +M 100% Sawdust (SD) +L -M

-L +M -L -M

1: 1 RSSD

Values Orthogonal Comparisons

RS Lime Vs No lime Micronut. Vs No Micronut

RH Lime Vs No lime Micronut. Vs No M~cronut.

RSRH Lime Vs No lime Micronut. Vs No Micronul.

SD Lime Vs No lime Micronul Vs No Micronul.

RSSD Lime Vs No lime Micronuit. Vs No Micronut.

+L = Lime added; -L = No lime; +M = Micronutrient added; -M = No micronutrient; Micronu!. = Mlcronulrient; **, *, NS = Significance at I%, 5% and nor) significant, respectively.

Table 4. Effect of lime and rnicron~~lrienl on flower buds and flower development in five media (number/pol).

Medium Amendment Number of Number of f l awer buds flowers mlialed formed

+L +M 100% Ripe hull . . +L-M.

(RH) - -L +M -L -M

1;1 RSRH

!OOOh Sawdust

1 : I RSSD

Orfhog~nal Comparisons F- Values

RS Lime Vs No lime Micronutr. Vs No micronulr

RH l ime Vs No lime Micronutr. Vs No micronutr.

RSRH Lime Vs No lime Miaonutr. Vs No micronutr.

SD Lime Vs No lime 'Micronutr. Vs No micronutr.

RSSD Lime Vs No lime NS 5.76" M~cronulr. Vs No micronutr. 5.34' 9.28"

+L = Lime added; -L = No lime; +M = Micronutrient added; -M = no micronutrient; . .

Micronutr = Micronutrienl. ", *. NS = Significant at I % , 5%, and non significant respectively. '

Table 5.'The effects of lime and micronutrient on flower size and plant index in five media

Medium Amer~dmerll Flower size (cm) Plant index

+L+M ' . 100% Riversand (RS) +L -M

-L +M -L -M

+L +M '. 100% Rice hull (RH) +C -M

-L +M -L -M

1: l RSRH

+L +M 100% Sawdust (SO) +L -M

1 :I RSSD

r . :>- -

RS

RH

/ . RSRH

SD

RSSD

Orthogonal Comparisons

Lime Vs No lime Micronutr. Vs No micronutr.

Lime Vs No lime Micronutr Vs No rnicronulr. - Lime Vs No lime. Micronutr. Vs No micronu!r.

Lime Vs No lime Micronutr: Vs No micronulr.

Lime Vs No lime Micronutr. Vs No micronutr.

F - Values

+L = Lime added; -L = No lime; +M = Micronutrient added; -M No Micronutr. Micronutr. = Micronutrient. **, *, NS = Significant at l0/o, 5%, levels and non significant respectively.

Table 6. The pH of limcd and vnlirned media before planting.

- -- Media and Linie Treatment P H

!0O0/0 ?iversand (RS) Urllirned (-L)

100% Riversand Limed (+)

100% Rice hull (RH) Unlimed (-L)

100% Rice hull Limed (-L)

100% Sawdusl (SD) Unlimed (-L)

100°/~ Sawdusl . Limed (+)

RSRH -L

RSRH +L

RSSD -L

RSSD +L