WATER ABSORBING GEOCOMPOSITE: A NOVEL METHOD IMPROVING WATER AND FERTILIZER EFFICIENCY IN Brunnera macrophylla CULTIVATION. PART II. PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIUM AND MACROELEMENT UPTAKE EFFICIENCY
2018
Katarzyna Wróblewska | Piotr Chohura | Krzysztof Lejcuś | Jolanta Dąbrowska | Przemysław Bąbelewski
The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the geocomposite (GC) on macronutrient uptake of container-grown Brunnera macrophylla and substrate properties. The GC consists of super-absorbent polymer (SAP), internal skeleton and non-woven geotextile. It was designed to retain water in the soil in a form available for plants, by roots overgrowing the geotextile to access water. The GC was soaked in a multi-compound fertilizer (Insol® U) and compared with soluble fertilizer (SF) and controlled-release fertilizer (CRF). The fertilizer rates were calculated to cover the equal N supply: 0.36 and 0.72 g N plant−1. Nitrogen uptake of Brunnera cultivated with the geocomposite was approximately twice and three times as high as that of plants fertilized with SF and CRF, respectively. Exceptionally high N content was observed in plants cultivated with the GC-0.72 g N plant−1. The use of the GC also enhanced the accumulation of K and P, while CRF strongly reduced their content in plants. Distinct relations could be observed in the case of Ca accumulation. GC-0.72 g N plant−1 increased EC and water content in the medium without direct contact between SAP and substrate.
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