ARS | Publication request: TOWARDS A HEALTHY PLANT

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: May 14, 2005
Publication Date: July 10, 2005
Repository URL: http://www.ars.usda.gov/sp2UserFiles/Place/36071000/Posters/Frantz180082_2006_HealthyPlant.pdf
Citation: Frantz, J., Pitchay, D., Locke, J.C., Krause, C.R. 2005. Towards a healthy plant. Meeting Abstract. Self Published. Vol.1(1). p. 1-14.

Technical Abstract: Geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum) is considered to be one of the top-selling floriculture plants, but there are few nutrient disorder symptoms reported for this species. The lack of nutritional information for geranium during growth and development and subsequent inability to identify specific visual symptoms with nutrient deficiencies contributes to sub-optimal geranium quality. This booklet aims at describing the biochemical and physical role of each nutrient in plants and associates those functions with a description of visual symptoms of deficiency. At least one color photograph of geranium is included showing a typical deficiency symptom for each element. A space for notes is included for each nutrient. Unique visual deficiency symptoms of interveinal red pigmentation was noted on the matured leaves of P and Mg deficient plants while N deficient plant developed chlorotic leaf margins. Boron symptoms developed rapidly and manifested in necrotic stippling within the leaves. This information was assembled in a stiff, bound, color booklet to provide growers an informative educational tool in producing premium geranium plants for the greenhouse industry.