Cyclic Irrigation and Media Affect Container Leachate and Ageratum Growth
Two experiments were conducted with container-grown Ageratum houstonianum Mill. ‘Blue Puffs’ to compare cyclic and continuous irrigations. In experiment 1, leachate volumes were reduced about 54% with 0.4 cm (0.16 in) cyclic irrigation treatments applied with either a 30 min or 2 hr resting phase compared to continuous inigation of 0.4 cm (0.15 in). Total N leached was about 47% less with the cyclic treatments compared to continuous irrigation. In experiment 2, container leachate volumes and N leached were higher from a pine bark:sand medium, while plants were smaller compared to a pine bark:peat medium. Growth index and root distribution weresimilar with cyclic and continuous irrigation.Abstract
Contributor Notes
This research was supported in part by a grant from The Horticultural Research Institute, 1250 I Street, N.W., Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20005.
2Assistant Professor. Present address: OHLD Department, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37901.
3Professor of Horticulture.
4Manager, Academic Computing Services.