Abstract

URBINA-SANCHEZ, Elizabeth et al. Zeolite as Substrate in the Soilless Culture of Gerbera. Terra Latinoam [online]. 2011, vol.29, n.4, pp.387-394. ISSN 2395-8030.

The zeolite is a mineral of the group of the aluminosilicates with porous structure; it presents high cation exchange capacity and sedimentary igneous origin. In Mexico, there are references about deposits of this mineral in several states such as Chihuahua, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacan, Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Tlaxcala, Veracruz and Sonora; their characteristics make it an attractive substrate for soilless culture. The objective was to grow Gerbera jamesonii in a closed system using zeolite substrate and to determine the direct effect and the interactions of the factors: osmotic potential and NH4 + concentration in the nutrient solution Steiner and two granule sizes of zeolite, on the growth of gerbera. A complete factorial design 3 × 3 × 2 was integrated with three replications. There were not significant effects for the growth variables by the factors: granule sizes, osmotic potential, or ammonium concentration. The unique exception was that with 7.5% of ammonium there was negative effect on the peduncle length. With the interaction of the osmotic potential at -54 kPa of the nutrient solution in combination with the zeolite of greatest granule size was obtained major length of peduncle. The growth of the plants cultivated in fine zeolite or coarse zeolite was similar to those of the plants cultivated in pumice. The values of the variables of growth of the flower of the plants grown in zeolite were similar to those of the plants grown in pumice.

Keywords : soilless culture; potassium; calcium; magnesium; Gerbera jamesonii; ammonium; clinoptilolite-zeolite.