| dc.description.abstract | The study was conducted in Limuru from June to
November, 1990, to investigate the influence of nitrogen
fertilization on growth, flowering and keeping quality of
Altroemeria 'Carmen' and 'Marina'.
The number of total shootS/M2 increased significantly
with application of nitrogen in 'Carmen' but the increase
was not significant in 'Marina'.
The average fresh weight of 'Carmen' flowering and
vegetative shoots increased significantly with
application of 117 kgN/ha. In' Marina', the average
fresh weight of vegetative shoots increased slightly with
nitrogen application but that of the flowering shoots
increased significantly with application of 78 kgN/ha then
decreased with higher nitrogen application.
The average length of 'Carmen' vegetative and
flowering shoots increased significantly with application
of 156 and 117 kgN/ha, respectively. In 'Marina' the
average length of vegetative and flowering shoots
increased with application of 39 and 78 kgN/ha,
respectively, but higher nitrogen fertilization decreased
it significqntly.
The thickness of both vegetative and flowering shoots
of 'Carmen' was not significantly affected by nitrogen
application. The vegetative shoots of 'Marina' had a
similar trend but flowering shoots from plants fertilized
with 39kgN/ha were significantly thicker than those from
other nitrogen treatments. Nitrogen fertilization did not
influence the number of leaves on flowering and vegetative
shoots in both 'Carmen' and 'Marina'.
The number of flowering shootS/M2 increased
significantly with nitrogen application in 'Carmen' but
slightly in 'Marina'. The percent of flowering shoots in
'Carmen' increased significantly with nitrogen
fertilization but in 'Marina', it was not affected.
Nitrogen fertilization did not affect onset to flowering
of either 'Carmen' or 'Marina'. However, the number of
cymes per inflorescence increased slightly with
application of 156 kgN/ha in 'Carmen' and 39 kgN/ha in
'Marina'.
Nitrogen concentration in leaves and stalks of both
'Carmen' and 'Marina' increased with increased nitrogen
fertilization. It was highest in young leaves,
intermediate in old leaves and lowest in stalks.
Leaf chlorophyll content of cutflowers after harvest,
on seventh and fourteenth day in vase remained high with
application of 156 and 117 kgN/ha in 'Carmen'and 'Marina',
respectively. There was a more rapid leaf chlorophyll
breakdown of cutflowers in both cultivars during the first
week than.the second week in the vase especially those
from plants treated with high nitrogen levels.
The average number of days to complete leaf yellowing
in both cultivars increased signficantly with nitrogen
fertilization. The average number of days to half petal
fall in 'Carmen' increased significantly with nitrogen
application, but in 'Marina', it increased slightly.
In 'Carmen', split nitrogen applications did not
affect shoot growth, flowering, cutflower qual ity and
keeping quality. However, 'Marina' plants fertilized with
most nitrogen levels had more leaves on flowering shoots
when nitrogen was applied in four splits than two splits.
'Marina' cutflowers from plants fertilized with 39 and 78
kgN/ha in four splits interval lasted longer before
complete leaf yellowing in vase than those fertilized in
two splits. | en |
