Effect of a Silicate Fertilizer Supplemented to the Medium on Rooting and Subsequent Growth of Potted Plants

Abstract

This experiment was carried out to examine the effect of a silicate fertilizer on the rooting of cuttings and subsequent growth of potted piano. Cutting of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana 'Kaluna' and 'Taos', and Dianthus caryophyllus L. 'Kazan' and 'Tula' were grown in 50 and 128-cell plug trays, respectively, containing a mixture of commercial medium and penile (5:1, v/v). A silicate fertilizer [MgCa(SiO3)(2)] was supplemented at 0, 40, 80, 120 or 160 g.L-1 medium. Silicate fertilizer supplementation at 40 g.L-1 medium resulted in the greatest plant height, leaf width and length, length of the longest root, and root fresh and dry weights in both kalanchoe and carnation. However, medium supplemented with a silicate fertilizer at 1.20 g.L-1 medium had reduced plant height, length of the longest root, and fresh and dry weights of roots. According to the scanning electror microscope images of transversal sections of tissues of roots in kalanchoe and carnation, the treatment of a silicate fertilizer supplementation at 40 g.L-1 medium resulted in plants with more compact tissue than the control.