THE EFFECT OF OSMOCOTE FERTILISERS ON GROWTH AND NUTRIENT STATUS OF ANEMANTHELE LESSONIANA (STEUD). VELDKAMP. AND BOUTELOUA GRACILIS (KUNTH). LAG. EX GRIFFITHS

St. Szczepaniak, E. Wojciechowska, M. Henschke

Abstract: The increasing importance of ornamental grasses in horticultural cultures results in the need to determine their cultivation requirements. A particularly essential role is played by the selection of fertilisers and specification of nutrient requirements. An experiment on the effect of osmocote fertilisers on growth and nutrient status of Anemanthele lessoniana (steud). Veldkamp. and Bouteloua gracilis (kunth). Lag. ex Griffths was conducted in the years 2008 – 2009. The differentiating factors included the type of fertiliser, i.e. osmocote exact standard 16:11:11 and osmocote exact High start 11:11:19, and fertiliser
doses of 2 and 4 g·dm-3. in the culture of Anemanthele lessoniana and Bouteloua gracilis it is recommended to apply osmocote 11:11:19 at a dose of 4 g·dm-3. The best quality plants in their aboveground parts contained the following amounts of macronutrients and sodium [%]: Anemanthele lessoniana – n - 1.54, p – 0.35, k – 2.10, ca – 0.61, Mg – 0.14, na – 0.10, while in Bouteloua gracilis it was – n – 1.75, p – 0.59, k – 2.31, ca – 0.91, Mg – 0.36 and na – 0.05, respectively.

Keywords: fresh weight; leaf length; macronutrients; ornamental grasses; slow-release fertilizer

Date published: 2017-09-14