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Title: Characterization of nutrient disorders of gerbera hybrid 'Festival Light Eye Pink'

Author
item KA YEON, JEONG - NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV
item WHIPKER, BRIAN - NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV
item MCCALL, INGRAM - NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV
item GUNTER, CHRIS - NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV
item Frantz, Jonathan

Submitted to: Acta Horticulturae
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/15/2008
Publication Date: 10/7/2009
Citation: Ka Yeon, J., Whipker, B., Mccall, I., Gunter, C., Frantz, J. 2009. Characterization of nutrient disorders of gerbera hybrid 'Festival Light Eye Pink'. Acta Horticulturae. 843:177-182.

Interpretive Summary: Gerbera plants were grown in sand culture to cause nutritional deficiency symptoms and to document those symptoms with photographs. Plants were grown with a complete fertilizer solution until they were well established, then specific nutrient deficiencies were caused by growing them in a complete fertilizer solution minus one of the nutrients. Reagent grade chemicals and deionized water of 18-mega ohms purity were used to formulate treatment solutions. Boron toxicity was also caused by increasing the element to 10× higher than the regular fertilizer recipe. The plants were automatically irrigated every 2 hours and the fertilizer solution drained from the bottom of the pot and recaptured for re-use. A complete replacement of fertilizer solutions was done each week. Plants were monitored each day to document and photograph symptoms as they developed. Typical symptomology of nutrient disorders and critical tissue concentrations are presented in this paper, which can serve as a production guide for this popular floriculture crop species.

Technical Abstract: Gerbera hybrid ‘Festival Yellow with Light Eye’ plants were grown in silica sand culture to induce and photograph nutritional disorder symptoms. Plants were grown with a complete modified Hoagland's all nitrate solution: (macronutrients in mM) 15 NO3-N, 1.0 PO4-P, 6.0 K, 5.0 Ca, 2.0 Mg, and 2.0 SO4-S, plus 'M concentrations of micronutrients, 72 Fe, 18 Mn, 3 Cu, 3 Zn, 45.0 B, and 0.1 Mo. The nutrient deficiency treatments were induced that included a complete nutrient formula and complete minus one of the nutrients. Reagent grade chemicals and deionized water of 18-mega ohms purity were used to formulate treatment solutions. Boron toxicity was also induced by increasing the element 10× higher than the complete nutrient formula. The plants were automatically irrigated every 2 hours and the solution drained from the bottom of the pot and recaptured for use. A complete replacement of nutrient solutions was done weekly. Plants were monitored daily to document and photograph sequential series of symptoms as they developed. Typical symptomology of nutrient disorders and critical tissue concentrations will be presented.