Effects of plant age on nitrogen uptake and distribution by greenhouse plants

• Published in: Journal of plant nutrition Vol. 21; no. 5; pp. 1055 - 1066
• Main Authors: El-Jaoual, T, Cox, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, NJ Taylor & Francis Group 01.01.1998; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: ABONOS NITROGENADOS; ABSORCION DE SUSTANCIAS NUTRITIVAS; ABSORPTION DE SUBSTANCES NUTRITIVES; AGE; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS; AMMONIUM NITROGEN; AZOTE; Biological and medical sciences; COMPOSE DE L'AMMONIUM; COMPUESTOS DE AMONIO; CONTENIDO DE MATERIA SECA; CONTENIDO DE NITROGENO; CRECIMIENTO; CROISSANCE; CULTIVO PROTEGIDO; CULTURE SOUS ABRI; DRY MATTER CONTENT; EDAD; EFFICACITE; EFFICIENCY; EFICACIA; ENGRAIS AZOTE; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; greenhouse production; GREENHOUSES; GROWTH; IMPATIENS; IMPATIENS HAWKERI; INVERNADEROS; LEACHING; LESSIVAGE DU SOL; LIXIVIACION; NITRATE; nitrate nitrogen; NITRATES; NITRATOS; NITROGEN; NITROGEN CONTENT; Nitrogen fertilization; NITROGEN FERTILIZERS; Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium fertilizations; NITROGENO; NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS; NUTRIENT TRANSPORT; NUTRIENT UPTAKE; POLLUTION DE L'EAU; POLUCION DEL AGUA; PROTECTED CULTIVATION; SERRE; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; SOLUCIONES NUTRITIVAS; SOLUTION NUTRITIVE; TAGETES; TAGETES ERECTA; TENEUR EN AZOTE; TENEUR EN MATIERE SECHE; TRANSPORT DES SUBSTANCES NUTRITIVES; TRANSPORTE DE NUTRIENTES; USES; USOS; UTILISATION; WATER POLLUTION; Nitrogen fertilization; Ammonium; Tagetes erecta; Nitrates; Compositae; Nitrogen; Leaching; Succulent plant; Requirement; Absorption; Spatial distribution; Efficiency; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Balsaminaceae; Impatiens; Nutrient; Flower crop; Spermatophyta; Application method; Developmental stage; Age
• DOI: 10.1080/01904169809365464
• ISSN: 0190-4167

Water-soluble nitrogen (N) fertilizer is intensively used in greenhouse crop production. Any N not used by a crop is subject to leaching as nitrate (NO3- N), which may pollute groundwater. A close correlation between N supply and N uptake by plants would increase the efficiency of N fertilization and minimize the possibility of NO3-N pollution. The objectives of this study were to measure N uptake by American marigold (Tagetes erecta L. 'First Lady') and New Guinea Impatiens (NGI) (Impatiens hawkeri Bull. 'Selenia') during growth, to determine the effect of plant age on N uptake, to determine if the two species have a preference for NO3-N or ammonium (NH4-N), and to determine the total N required for 70 days of growth. The plants were grown in solution culture using solutions supplying 120 mg each of NO3-N and NH4-N. At ten day intervals, six cultures were chosen at random for nutrient solution analysis and plant sampling for dry weight and tissue analysis. Nitrate-N uptake was greater than NH4-N uptake throughout the experiment for both marigold and NGI. Total N uptake by marigold was greater during the first 50 days after transplanting with maximum N uptake during the period 30 to 50 days. In contrast, N uptake by NGI was greater during the period 40 to 70 days after transplanting. Maximum N uptake for NGI occurred during the period 60 to 70 days. Results of this study suggest that early N fertilization of marigold could be more important for their growth and quality than N applied later. For NGI, N fertilization later in the crop's development appears to be more important than early on. The total N absorbed by marigold during the experiment was 1.1 gm N plant-1; for NGI the quantity was 0.5 gm N plant-1