Title

Evaluation of a Substrate­-Applied Humectant to Mitigate Drought Stress in Young, Container­-Grown Plants

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2015

Publication Title

Journal of Environmental Horticulture

Volume Number

33

Issue Number

3

Abstract

The efficacy of treating soilless substrate with a commercial humectant was tested as a means of suppressing drought stress in 4-week-old container-grown Zinnia elegans Jacq. ‘Thumbelina’. The humectant was applied as a substrate amendment at concentrations of 0.0, 0.8, 1.6 and 3.2% by volume prior to withholding irrigation. An untreated, well-watered control was also included. The substrate of treated plants was allowed to dry until the foliage wilted, at which time the plants were harvested and the following measurements taken: number of days to wilt (DTW), xylem water potential (ψx), shoot growth (shoot dry weight, leaf area) and root growth (length, diameter, surface area, volume, dry weight). For drought-stressed plants grown in humectant-treated substrate at concentrations of 1.6 and 3.2%, DTW increased 25 and 33%, respectively. A linear decrease in ψx was observed as the concentration of humectant increased from 0.0 to 3.2%. Linear trends were also noted for both volumetric moisture content (positive) and evapotranspiration (negative) as the concentration of humectant increased. For non-irrigated, untreated plants, stress inhibited shoot growth more than root growth, resulting in a lower root:shoot ratio. For non-irrigated, humectant-treated plants, the length of fine, water-absorbing roots increased linearly as humectant concentration increased from 0.0 to 3.2%. Using humectant-amended substrates may be a management option for mitigating the symptoms of drought stress during the production of container-grown bedding plants such as Z. elegans.

ISSN

0738-2898

First Page

137

Last Page

141

Link Out URL

http://www.hrijournal.org/doi/abs/10.24266/0738-2898-33.3.137

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