Abstract

MALDONADO-BENITEZ, K. Reyna et al. Nursery production of Pinus greggii Engelm. In mixtures of substrate with hydrogel and irrigation levels. Agrociencia [online]. 2011, vol.45, n.3, pp.389-398. ISSN 2521-9766.

There are timber industrial byproducts useful such as substrates or conditioners useful to improve water availability for nursery plants. In order to contribute to their utilization we assessed the effect of a synthetic polymer (hydrogel) in alternative substrate mixtures under four irrigation levels for the production of Pinus greggii Engelm., in nursery. The experimental design was a split plot with an additional treatment, and 10 substrate mixtures composed of sawdust, pine bark, peat, agrolite, and vermiculite were tested. Five months after applying irrigation levels, the plants developed in 20 % of bark + 80 % of sawdust and 4 g L^-1 of hydrogel, showed the highest increment (p≤ 0.05) for the variables height (21.8 cm) and diameter (3 mm). In the treatments without humidity restriction growth rates were greater (p≤ 0.05) in height (32.8 cm), root collar diameter (3.3 mm) and shoot / root ratio (2.13). However, under stress condition increments of height (15.64 cm), root collar diameter (2.56 mm), and shoot / root ratio(1.8) were not significant. The treatments with high doses of hydrogel are successful as growth medium, having values close to the control.

Keywords : Pinus greggii Engelm.; plant quality; substrate; hydrogel; irrigation; nursery.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )