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TEST OF EFFICIENCY OF TABLETED FERTILISER SILVAMIX® FORTE USING SELECTED WETLAND PLANTS

In the growing season of the year 2000, efficiency of tablets of SILVAMIX®FORTE fertiliser was tested using a selected assortment of wetland plants.

 

The assortment was selected partly with regard to the prospective use of these fertilisers when establishing small water reservoirs (ponds) in parks and gardens and partly on the base of their suitability for the revitalisation of existing and/or newly established streams and natural water reservoirs (e. g. after their reconstruction and/or regulation). As we have ascertained in practice, these plants are often grown in sites covered with substrates containing very low reserves of nutrients (clay, sand-gravel) In such cases the application of slow-release fertilisers could significantly support young plants during the stress period after planting and to help them to develop a rich root system and to begin to grow.

 

The assortment of experimental plants was selected in such a way that it involved both really ornamental species (Iris pseudacorus L., Typha minima HOPPE, Nymphaea alba L.) and plants playing an important ecological function as a part of littoral waters (Butomus umbellatus L., Sagittaria sagittifolia L., Alisma plantago-aquatica L.).

 

At the same time it was also tested which dose of fertilisers showed the best effect on growth of experimental plants so that it could be possible to minimise application costs on the one hand and to avoid the over-dosage and possible negative effects on plant growth on the other.

 


Material and Methods

For these tests the following species were selected:

 


Iris pseudacorus L.

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Ecology:

This is a European (Mediterranean) species. In the territory of the Czech Republic, it occurs straggly especially in warmer regions, in lowlands and in hilly areas. It is dispersed along pond margins, on banks of both stagnant and streaming waters, in forest pools, ditches, in littoral thickets and rushes and on wet meadows.

 

Origin of experimental plants:

Experimental plants were sampled in a ditch dug on meadow near Lednice in South Moravia. Rhizomes were cut to short (3-5 cm) cuttings with growing leaf sprouts.


Butomus umbellatus L.

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Ecology:

Plants of this species show a wide ecological adaptability to the height of water column and streaming. They prefer shallow, stagnant and muddy littoral waters but can be found also in lowland water streams in depths above 1 m; here, however, they do not come into blossom.

 

Origin of experimental plants:

Short rhizome cuttings with growing leaf sprouts were prepared from rhizomes sampled in the littoral of the Dyje river in the park of Lednice Castle.


Typha minima HOPPE

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Ecology:

This species occurs above all in flat littorals of stagnant and/or slowly running clearer and colder waters, in calmer lateral arms of water streams and in coves on soils showing alkaline reaction and rich in calcium, on sandy shores, in lowlands and hilly regions. In the Czech Republic, it grows only sporadically but more frequent is in the Danube basin.

 

Origin of experimental plants:

Pot plants were purchased in a shop of the Hornbach company in Brno. Experimental plants were taken off from pots and separated to segments consisting of 3-4 shoots with corresponding parts of shortened rhizomes. These segments were thereafter used for planting.


Sagittaria sagittifolia L.

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Ecology:

This species occurs in the littoral zone of stagnant and slowly running waters and prefers especially muddy littorals. Plants are fully developed in waters 30-50 cm deep. It grows also in wet substrates but produces only small, early flowering individuals.

 

Origin of experimental plants:

Plants were sampled in the littoral zone of the Castle Pond in the park of Lednice Castle. All were young in individuals growing from nodules produced by maternal plants in the autumn of the last year.


Alisma plantago-aquatica L.

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Ecology:

This species occurs in the littoral zone of stagnant and slowly running, muddy waters. In contradistinction to Sagittaria sagittifolia L. does not need deeper waters for its proper growth and development. It often occurs also in wet soils above water level and produces robust rosettes of leaves.

 

Origin of experimental plants:

Experimental plants were sampled in the littoral zone of the Castle Pond in the park of Lednice Castle. All were young in individuals growing from nodules produced by maternal plants in the autumn of the last year.


Nymphaea alba L.

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Ecology:

This species occurs above all in stagnant and/or near banks of very slowly running secondary river streams. A long, creeping rhizome can root in clayey or sandy substrates in depths of as much as 2 metres. It prefers dead arms, oxbows and pools in floodplains of warmer regions.

 

Origin of experimental plants:

Maternal plants originated from the nursery situated near Břeclav. The minimum length of rhizome cuttings was 5 cm because shorter ones did not grow.


Experimental pots

Plants were placed into plastic containers with the volume of 1 litre; Nymphaea alba L. was the only exception because its robust rhizomes had to be planted into two-litre earthware containers. All containers were placed into plastic boxes of the size 40 x 35 x 13 cm. Pots with water lily into fibreglass boxes of the size 90 x 90 cm or 90 x 120 cm.

 

Irrigation water

Boxes were irrigated with water from the Dyje river in such a way that they were continuously submerged up to 1/4 - 3/4 of their height in water. Water was refilled twice a week. Pots with water lily were filled up with tap water to the height of 50 cm and replenished only two times during the whole experiment because the evaporation was significantly lower and a partial continuous replenishment took place also during rains.

 

Growing substrate

For planting the substrate RKS I with a reduced content of nutrients was used. In containers with water lily the substrate surface was covered with a layer of heavier earth containing clay to prevent wash up of lighter garden substrate.

 

Dosage of SILVAMIX® FORTE tablets

Tablets SILVAMIX®FORTE (5 g) were used as follows:

  Plants Nos. 1 - 5: 1 tablet
Plants Nos. 6 - 10: 2 tablets
Plants Nos. 11 - 15: 4 tablets
Plants Nos. 16 - 20: Control (without fertiliser).

Tablets were placed into containers in the following manner: at first, containers were filed with substrate up to 1/3, then the tablets were applied and covered with substrate up to 1/2 of the container height. Thereafter plants were placed into containers and covered with substrate up to the edge. The surface was slightly pressed to consolidate the content.

 

Time schedule of the experiment:

The time schedule was arranged in accordance with the growing season of individual plants. In individual species there were relatively great differences:

  17 April : planting of Iris pseudacorus, Butomus umbellatus and Typha minima
1 May: planting of Alisma plantago-aquatica
13 - May: planting of Nymphaea alba and Sagittaria sagittifolia
5 July: harvest of Butomus umbellatus
21 July: harvest of Alisma plantago-aquatica
29 July: harvest of Sagittaria sagittifolia
8 September: harvest of Iris pseudacorus and Typha minima
22 September: harvest of Nymphaea alba

A delayed planting of some species (Alisma plantago-aquatica, Sagittaria sagittifolia) resulted from the fact that it was not possible to sample these plants earlier in their natural habitats. An early harvest was caused by a very short course of the growing season; the spring was extremely warm and also in summer the temperature of water in containers was as much as 35 °C. Plants of Alisma plantago-aquatica, Sagittaria sagittifolia and Butomus umbellatus were harvested in the period of starting desiccation of leaves.

 

Measurements

The growth of plants was measured in two-week intervals. Measured were the following data: height of plant and/or length of leaves (with the exception of flower stems), number of leaves and number of shoots. In case of Nymphaea alba these measurements could not be performed because the leaves of this species were very fragile and the experimental specimens could be damaged. The weight of planted and harvested plants was recorded after rinsing and dripping of water.

 


Results

Butomus umbellatus

The experiment was established on 17 April 2000 and plants had to be harvested as early as on 5 July when their leaves began to dry out. This means that the growing season of this species lasted only 80 days. At the beginning, all groups of plants grew well and greater differences occurred after two weeks. The best growth was observed in variants with 1 and 2 tablets, controls grew much slower and the worst results were observed in the group with 4 tablets. After 6 weeks, however, results of the group with 4 tablets markedly improved and their growth parameters were evaluated mostly as the best ones. In our opinion, however, the dose of 4 tablets was too high because the difference between this group and that with 2 tablets was not very marked. Growth parameters of the group with 1 tablet were much worse and the worst growth was observed in unfertilised controls.

 

Final recommendation: It is obvious that the best results were obtained after fertilisation with 1 - 2 tablets.

 

Alisma plantago-aquatica

The experiment was established on 2 May 2000 and plants were harvested on 21 July when their leaves began to dry out markedly. The growing season lasted, therefore, also only 80 days. At the beginning, all plants grew very slowly and the first differences occurred after 3 weeks. Controls showed symptoms of desiccation of leaves and an improvement of this condition was observed as late as after 8 weeks when the plants started to blossom. Poor initial growth was observed also in the group with 4 tablets but it was still markedly better than in controls. Plants with 1 and 2 tablets grew very well and the best growth was observed in the group with 2 tablets. The best growth parameters were recorded mostly in the group with 2 tablets.

 

Final recommendation: Fertilisation of plants is desirable, at best with 2 tablets. The dose of 4 tablets seems to be too high.

 

Typha minima

The experiment was established on 17 April and plants were harvested on 8 September; this means that the growing season lasted 161 days. At the beginning, the growth of all plants was very bad and the adaptation occurred after 4 to 5 weeks when all groups showed a rapid elongation growth, formation of new leaves and production of new shoots. The highest plants were found in the group with 2 tablets while the highest number of leaves and the highest weight at the end of the experiment in the group with 1 tablet. The dose of 4 tablets was too high in all aspects.

 

Final recommendation: Fertilisation showed a positive effect on experimental plants and the dose of 1 tablet was fully sufficient.

 

Sagittaria sagittifolia

The experiment was established on a later date (14 May) because it was not possible to obtain plants sooner. The test had to be finished as early as on 29 July because the plants began dry out quickly. The growing season lasted only 76 days. Plants of this species were negatively influenced also by an unsuitable height of water column because in practice it was found out that they could grow better in deeper water (the water level should be at least 2 - 3 dm above containers). During the whole experiment these plants did not produce new shoots and the number of leaves in controls and in the with 4 tablets permanently decreased till the moment of extinction of plants. In spite of this fact, however, plants were able to produce root nodules so that it was possible to evaluate their numbers at the end of this experiment. Growth of plants was observed only in groups with 1 and 2 tablets (in the group with 2 tablets the results were slightly better.

 

Final recommendation: Plants cannot survive without fertilisation but 1 tablet is fully sufficient. The dose of 4 tablets seemed to be nearly toxic.

 

Iris pseudacorus

The experiment was established on 17 April and plants were harvested on 8 September so that the growing season lasted 161 days. Thanks to reserve substances stored in the rhizome all plants grew relatively well but required a certain time interval for adaptation (old leaves gradually died off). A good growth was observed only in groups with 1 and 2 tablets while that of controls was either very bad or zero. The dose of 4 tablets had a markedly depressive effect on the growth of experimental plants. The best growth parameters were recorded in the group with 2 tablets.

 

Final recommendation: Fertilisation of plants is necessary and the dose of 2 tablets seems to be the best one. The dose of 4 tablets is too high.

 

Nymphaea alba

Planting and harvest took place on 13 May and 22 September, respectively, so that the growing season lasted 132 days. Because of reasons mentioned above, the comparison of experimental groups could be carried out as late as after the harvest. In this case, no significant differences were found out among individual groups. In our opinion this could be due to the fact that the size of rhizomes and their reserves of nutrients were so high that they enabled a normal growth of experimental plants and, thus, prevented the manifestation of different doses of fertilisers. The only visible difference was observed in the colour of leaves. In controls, there was an obvious deficiency of nitrogen because they had greenish leaves while the colour of leaves of all fertilised plants was dark green.

 

Final recommendation: In plants cultivated from rhizome cuttings the effect of fertilisers could not be demonstrated.

 


Conclusions

  1. Results of the test of effects of tablets of SILVAMIX® FORTE fertiliser on a selected assortment of wetland plants were rather different. This fact indicates various nutritional requirements of individual species.

  2. Some plants could not survive without fertilisation and died off during the experiment. Although some other (Alisma plantago-aquatica, Iris pseudacorus, Butomus umbellatus) survived, they did not grow at all.

  3. For the majority of tested plants the dose of 1 tablet (5g) per 1 litre of substrate was quite sufficient, for some (Alisma plantago-aquatica, , Butomus umbellatus, Iris pseudacorus) the dose of 2 tablets was better.

  4. The dose of 4 tablets was too high for the major part of experimental plants (Sagittaria sagittifolia, Iris pseudacorus, Typha minima, Alisma plantago-aquatica). A good tolerance of this dose was observed only in plants of Butomus umbellatus.

  5. In plants cultivated from large rhizome segments (Nymphaea alba) the effect of fertilisation was not manifested.

  6. The addition of 1 tablet of SILVAMIX®FORTE fertiliser to each seedling planted under field conditions (especially into poor soils) is very efficient and beneficial. Fertilised plants were quickly adapted to the new environment and their growth was much better.

  7. Results obtained with different species of wetland plants indicate that a reliable effect of this fertiliser on young plants (without any negative phenomena) could be reached only after detailed tests carried out for each species separately.