Effects of Control Release Fertilizers on Nutrient Leaching, Palm Growth and Production Cost

Transcription

1 Florid Interntionl University FIU Digitl Commons Deprtment of Erth nd Environment College of Arts, Sienes & Edution Effets of Control Relese Fertilizers on Nutrient Lehing, Plm Growth nd Prodution Cost Pushp Soti University of Texs Rio Grnde Vlley, Angie Fleurissint Deprtment of Erth nd Environment, Florid Interntionl University, Stewrt Reed United Sttes Deprtment of Agriulture Krish Jyhndrn Deprtment of Erth nd Environment, Florid Interntionl University, Follow this nd dditionl works t: Prt of the Erth Sienes Commons, nd the Environmentl Sienes Commons Reommended Cittion Soti, Pushp; Fleurissint, Angie; Reed, Stewrt; nd Jyhndrn, Krish, "Effets of Control Relese Fertilizers on Nutrient Lehing, Plm Growth nd Prodution Cost" (215). Deprtment of Erth nd Environment This work is rought to you for free nd open ess y the College of Arts, Sienes & Edution t FIU Digitl Commons. It hs een epted for inlusion in Deprtment of Erth nd Environment y n uthorized dministrtor of FIU Digitl Commons. For more informtion, plese ontt d@fiu.edu.

2 Agriulture 215, 5, ; doi:1.339/griulture Artile OPEN ACCESS griulture ISSN Effets of Control Relese Fertilizers on Nutrient Lehing, Plm Growth nd Prodution Cost Pushp Soti 1, Angie Fleurissint 2, Stewrt Reed 3, * nd Krish Jyhndrn 2 1 Deprtment of Biology, University of Texs Rio Grnde Vlley, Edinurg, TX 78539, USA; E-Mil: psoti1@fiu.edu 2 Agroeology Progrm, Deprtment of Erth nd Environment, Florid Interntionl University, Mimi, FL 33199, USA; E-Mils: fleu5@fiu.edu (A.F.); jyhn@fiu.edu (K.J.) 3 United Sttes Deprtment of Agriulture, Agriulturl Reserh Servie, Mimi, FL 33158, USA * Author to whom orrespondene should e ddressed; E-Mil: stewrt.reed@rs.usd.gov. Ademi Editor: Ole Wendroth Reeived: 15 Septemer 215 / Aepted: 6 Novemer 215 / Pulished: 18 Novemer 215 Astrt: Ojetive of this study ws to evlute the effet of different ontrolled relese fertilizer tehnologies on nutrient lehing nd plnt growth prmeters of two plm speies, Chinese Fn (Liviston hinensis) nd Queen (Sygrus romnzoffin). We ompred Nutri-Pk ( ontrolled relese pket) nd Hrrell s ( ontrolled relese polymer oted ure) ginst Atlnti ( ontrolled relese polymer oted ure, oted sulfte of potsh), the most ommonly used plm fertilizer in South Florid. Plnts were grown in 25 m (11 L) pots under 7% shde, wtered weekly, with pest nd weed ontrol done s required. Plnt growth prmeters: numer of leves, lef length nd width, nd sl dimeter, were mesured every two months. Lehte ws olleted weekly fter irrigtion nd two-month omposite smple ws nlyzed for nutrient onentrtions. There ws no differene in the growth prmeters mong the three fertilizers for Chinese Fn plnts. However for Queen, Atlnti nd Hrrell s hd signifintly thiker sl dimeter thn Nutri-Pk. Signifint differene in the onentrtion of nutrients in the lehte ws oserved mong the fertilizer types. Throughout the study period, Nutri-Pk hd lower onentrtion of nutrients in the lehte thn Atlnti nd Hrrell s. Our reserh indites tht Nutri-Pk ontrol relese fertilizer is omprle to other ommeril fertilizers in Chinese Fn growth, ut the lrger Queen plms likely require n dditionl pket. Nutri-Pk fertilizer resulted in less nutrient lehing nd ould e etter environmentl hoie.

3 Agriulture 215, Keywords: slow relese fertilizers; plm growth; nutrient lehing; hortiulture 1. Introdution Plms re one of the most importnt ornmentl plnts in Florid lndspes. They re mjor rop representing 9.5% of Florid s nursery sles [1]. There is lrge diversity of plm speies, well-suited to the su-tropil limte of South Florid euse of their tolerne of ool winter tempertures, sesonl rinfll, soil lklinity, nd resistne to pests nd diseses [2]. Normlly, plms re onsidered low mintenne lndspe plnts ut the plms growing in Florid lndspes re sujet to numerous nutrient defiienies, suh s nitrogen, potssium, mgnesium, mngnese, nd iron [3]. Furthermore, with sndy soils nd high rinfll, nutrient loss due to lehing is signifint. However, for potted plnts, nutrient loss y lehing is not s high euse of the orgni potting sustrtes with higher wter holding pity. Elliott et l. [4] report tht defiienies of K, Mn nd B n e ftl in plms. While K, Mg nd Mn re more limiting in lndspes, N is the most limiting element in the ontiner grown plms used y insuffiient N in the potting medi nd lso euse of the tie up of N y the orgni sustrte [5]. Fertilizers hving n nlysis 8N-2P-12K-4Mg plus Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, nd B with 1% of the N, K, nd Mg in ontrolled relese form re reommended for the mintenne of plms in Florid [3,6]. Use of n effetive ontrolled relese fertilizer provides growers onveniene of pplition, redued eonomi nd environmentl osts. Mintining profitility without impting the environment is hllenge fed y Florid ontiner nurseries. One wy to redue the environmentl ontmintion of nutrient runoff from nurseries is to mnge irrigtion ording to plnt dily wter use, nd loss due to trnspirtion nd sustrte evportion [7]. However, the most importnt thing is the right soure, timing, rte nd plement of nutrients. There re multiple forms of fertilizers ville for ontiner grown plms, liquid, grnulr, plm speil, folir, nd grnulr fertilizers. Over the yers, nursery growers hve used polymer oted ontrolled relese fertilizers in the prodution of ontiner grown plnts. The gol of using ontrolled relese fertilizers is to provide nutrient to plnts s needed over n extended period of time. These fertilizers n provide higher nutrient use effiiently. However, most of the ville plm speil fertilizers re formulted for lndspe or field nursery use nd re not reommended for ontiner plm prodution [8] euse the field nd lndspe soils re very different thn the potting sustrte. The ojetives of this study were to evlute the effet of different fertilizers on nutrient lehing nd plnt growth prmeters of two ontiner grown plm speies Chinese fn (Liviston hinensis) nd Queen plms (Sygrus romnzoffin), nd to evlute the ost of prodution of these two plm speies. 2. Mterils nd Methods We onduted two experiments to evlute the effet of different fertilizers on nutrient lehing nd plnt growth prmeters, one experiment on eh of two plm speies. Fertilizers used in this study were produed y different mnufturers, eh with different relese rtes nd oting tehnology. The fertilizers used were: Nutri-Pk (ontrolled relese ), Hrrell s (ontrolled relese ) nd Atlnti (ontrolled relese ), the most ommonly used plm fertilizer in South Florid. Nutri-Pk

4 Agriulture 215, (JRP Interntionl, In., Fond du L, WI, USA) is ontrolled relese fertilizer in miro-pore polyethylene pket. Moisture enters the pket through miro-pores loted on oth sides of the pket. Pressure used y het nd vpor, releses the dissolved fertilizer through the sme miro-pores nd into the soil grdully providing nutrients to plnts. Hrrell s (Hrrell s, Lkelnd, FL, USA) is grnulr fertilizer with N derived from Polymer Coted Ure (6.99% slow relese) eing the only ontrolled relese element in the fertilizer. In Atlnti fertilizer (Atlnti Fertilizer nd Chemil Compny, Homested, FL, USA), N nd K re slow relese (5.6% N, 7.2% K2O, slow relese). Two plm speies were used in this study: Chinese Fns, single stright trunk plm tht n e used s lrge lndsping plnt or when onfined to pot s house plnt nd Queen Plms, populr in ommeril lndspes where they re plnted in rows on enters to line street or wlk. Chinese fns were plnted on 17 Septemer 212 nd Queen plms on 18 Septemer 212. Plnts were grown from seed in 1 m (11 L) pots nd stepped up to lrger pots s needed. A nursery mix of 5% pine rk, 1% snd, 4% oir pyth, with 4 Kg dolomite plus 1.4 Kg Miromx (6.% C, 3.% Mg, 12.% S,.1% B, 1.% Cu, 17.% Fe, 2.5% Mn,.5% Mo nd Zn 1.% (Everris NA In., Dulin, OH, USA)) per ui yrd ws used s the potting sustrte. All mironutrients exept Fe were dded s sulftes, Fe ws dded s helte. Plms were grown t the United Sttes Deprtment of Agriulture/Agriulturl Reserh Servie in Mimi, FL ( N; W) for one yer under 7% shde. During this time plms reeived 1 tespoon of fertilizer pellets with minor elements nd were wtered y overhed irrigtion for 5 minutes dily, t rte of 11 L h 1. On 2 Septemer 213, plnts were repotted with fresh nursery mix nd trnsferred to the Florid Interntionl University s Orgni Grden ( N; W) where they were pled in shdehouse under 7% shde. From 1 Novemer 213 to 22 August 214, 1-yer Nutri-Pk pket ontining g nutrient ws inserted 15 2-entimeters deep into the side of ten pots. Hrrell s ws top dressed t the rte g pot 1 every three months, nd Atlnti (ontrol) ws top dressed every two months on eh of ten pots t the rte of g pot 1. On 22 Septemer 214, the mount pplied inresed for Atlnti nd Hrrell s fertilizer to g pot 1, nd g pot 1, respetively. The repplition timing intervls did not hnge. Nutri-Pk pplition rte ws hnged to one g pot 1 pket every three yers. Plms were wtered weekly with enough volume to produe pproximtely 5 ml of lehte. Pots were weeded y hnd nd insets ontrolled s neessry with sop wter spry. A 5-mL susmple of lehte umulted over one-week period ws olleted from eh pot nd sved in 5 ml entrifuge tue. One drop of.1 N HCl, ws dded to the first smple in eh ottle nd stored t 4 C. Susmples from n individul pot olleted over two month period were omined to mke omposite smple tht ws nlyzed y indutively oupled plsm tomi emission spetrosopy (ICP-AES) for onentrtions of C 2+, K + nd PO4 2 nd y high-performne liquid hromtogrphy (HPLC) for NO3. Plnt lef length, width, numer of leves, nd sl dimeter, mesured t one inh ove the surfe in onsistent orienttion reltive to the pot s lel, were mesured every two months. Time spent ring for eh tretment ws reorded dily. Lor ws ssessed t rte of $1 per hour. Fertilizer nd other inputs were ssessed t mrket rtes for ulk purhses djusted for the mount tully used. Periodi nd umultive osts re reported on three-month intervls. Periodi ost is the 3-dy period ost prior to the reporting dte, while umultive ost is the sum of ll ost up to the dte reported.

5 Agriulture 215, Sttistil Anlysis The study fetured two plnt speies, three fertilizer types nd ten replitions of eh tretment. Plnts were rndomly rrnged on enh nd to ount for vritions in the shdehouse light, plnts were re-rndomized monthly. Anlysis of vrine ws performed on plnt mesurements nd lehte element onentrtions using the Pro ANOVA proedure of Sttistil Anlysis System [9]. Men seprtion ws omplished using Fisher s Lest Signifint Differene test t p <.5 level of signifine. The stndrd devition of the men of 1 replitions from eh fertilizer tretment ws used for error rs on grphs. 3. Results nd Disussion We ompred the nutrient onentrtion in the lehte, plnt growth prmeters nd ost of the three fertilizers in two ommon lndsping plm plnts in south Florid. During the study two distint growth phses in the plnts were visile, slow growth phse etween Novemer, 213 nd June, 214 followed y rpid growth phse from June, 214, to Novemer, 214 (Figure 1). Queen plms, growth rtes mong the tretments were similr during the slow growth phse nd tretment effets egn to pper during the rpid growth phse. A similr ut less drmti trend ws pprent with Chinese Fn plms (Figure 1), however growth rtes were not signifintly different. Lines desriing growth rte for oth plm speies were fit est to polynomil equtions. The summer growing seson, when growing rte elerted, oinided with the point where nutrient supply rte to plms fertilized with Nutri-Pk ws delining. Despite nutrient loss to lehing, plms reeiving periodi fertilizer pplitions (Atlnti nd Hrrell s) ppered to enefit from fresh pplitions ner the time of rpid plnt growth. Timing Nutri-Pk pplitions to oinide with n expeted surge in growth should inrese growth rte from July through Deemer. Plms in ll three tretments did not show ny signs of nutrient defiieny, nd for Chinese Fn plms there were no signifint differenes in plnt growth prmeters: sl dimeter, lef length, whih is onsidered s n inditor of plnt growth in plms [1], nd width nd ount for the numer of leves (Tle 1). Redution in the sl dimeter of the plms in July 214 nd Deemer 214 (Figure 1) resulted from lef deth, when the lef skirt fell off. Plnt growth prmeters for Queen Plms vried mong the three nutrient tretments. Nutri-Pk fertilized plnts produed the fewest numer of leves, whih ould e n inditor of K defiieny [11]. However, typil nutrient defiieny symptoms suh s yellow or ornge spotting were not visile. Sine there were fewer numers of leves on the Nutri-Pk fertilized plnts, totl lef length per plnt ws greter from Atlnti nd Hrrell s fertilized plnts. In ddition, Atlnti nd Hrrell s plnts hd greter sl dimeter thn Nutri-Pk. These results indite tht single Nutri-Pk pket my not provide suffiient nutrients for lrger plms.

6 Agriulture 215, Atlnti Hrrell's Nutri-Pk 5 4 Atlnti: y =.2x x , R 2 =.9842 Hrrell's: y =.45x x +.249, R 2 =.9171 Nutri-Pk: y =.7x x , R 2 = Dimeter (mm) Atlnti: y =.2x x , R 2 =.9186 Hrrell's: y =.9x x , R 2 =.96 Nutri-Pk: y =.4x x , R 2 = Nov-13 De-13 Fe-14 Apr-14 My-14 Jul-14 Sep-14 De-14 Dte Figure 1. Men dimeter of Liviston hinensis () nd Sygrus romnzoffin () plnts developed during 17 months of growth with either Atlnti, Hrrell s or Nutri-Pk fertilizer. Error rs represent the stndrd devition of the mens of the 1 replitions for eh fertilizer tretment. Plots were fit to polynomil eqution with the R 2 vlue given next to eqution. Tle 1. Differene in men vlues for sl dimeter (mm), lef length (m), lef width (m), nd lef ount per plnt etween Deemer 213 nd Deemer 214 for Liviston hinensis nd Sygrus romnzoffin plnts fertilized with Atlnti, Hrrell s or Nutri-Pk fertilizers. Fertilizer Dimeter Lef Length Lef Width Count L. hinensis (Chinese Fn) Atlnti Hrrell s Nutri-Pk S. romnzoffin (Queen Plm) Atlnti 39.1 * Hrrell s Nutri-Pk * Men seprtion (in olumns) y Fisher s Lest Signifint Differene test, t.5 level.

7 Agriulture 215, Nitrte in the lehte for ll smpling intervls followed the pttern with Hrrell s hving higher onentrtion thn Atlnti or Nutri-Pk, this held true for oth Queen nd Chinese plms (Figure 2). N nd P lehed from Hrrell s nd Atlnti during the wet seson ws signifintly higher thn the onentrtion reported for other ontrolled fertilizers for plms in Florid [12], while lehte onentrtion from Nutri-Pk ws lower ompred to other fertilizers used for plms. During the riny seson (July Deemer), nitrte onentrtion in the lehte ws signifintly higher thn the federl guidelines of mximum of 1 mg L 1 for ll tretments. Lehte phosphorus ws similr to nitrte exept for My 214, nd followed the pttern Hrrell s nd Atlnti hving higher onentrtions ompred to Nutri-Pk (Figure 3). The K onentrtion in lehte from Chinese Fn nd Queen plms reeiving Atlnti fertilizer ws either less thn or the sme s tht from Hrrell s (Figure 4); K in lehte from Nutri-Pk pots ws less thn hlf of the other tretments for ny given dte. Clium onentrtion in the lehte lso followed similr pttern with lehte onentrtions in Hrrell s nd Atlnti signifintly higher thn Nutri-Pk (Figure 5). Overll nutrient lehte ptterns were similr for the mro, s well s miro, nutrients. Throughout the study period, Nutri-Pk resulted lower onentrtion of nutrients in the lehte thn Atlnti nd Hrrell s. Results for Chinese Fn plms re similr to unpulished reports [13] tht with 17-month old plnts fter five months of fertilizer tretments, Nutri-Pk fertilized plnts produed more leves (6.5 vs. 5.8 leves per plnt) nd hd drker green olor (SPAD, Soil nd Plnt Anlyzer Development, Chlorophyll Meter vlue 44.3 vs. 36.9) ompred to the more ommonly used Atlnti Plm Speil fertilizer. Figure 2. Nitrte lehed from potting medium supporting Liviston hinensis () nd Sygrus romnzoffin () plnts during 17 months of growth with Atlnti, Hrrell s or Nutri-Pk fertilizer. Letters ove rs for n individul dte represent men seprtion y Tukey s t.5 level.

8 Agriulture 215, Atlnti Hrrell's Nutri-Pk 3 2 Phosphorus lehte (mg L -1 ) De '13 Fe '14 My '14 Jul '14 Sep '14 Ot '14 De '14 Dte Figure 3. Phosphorus lehed from potting medium Liviston hinensis () nd Sygrus romnzoffin () plnts during 17 months of growth with Atlnti, Hrrell s or Nutri-Pk fertilizer. Letters ove rs for n individul dte represent men seprtion y Tukey s t.5 level Atlnti Hrrell's Nutri-Pk Potssiumium lehte (mg L -1 ) De '13 Fe '14 My '14 Jul '14 Sep '14 Ot '14 De '14 Dte Figure 4. Potssium lehed from potting medium Liviston hinensis () nd Sygrus romnzoffin () plnts during 17 months of growth with Atlnti, Hrrell s or Nutri-Pk fertilizer. Letters ove rs for n individul dte represent men seprtion y Tukey s t.5 level.

9 Agriulture 215, Atlnti Hrrell's Nutri-Pk 3 2 Clium lehte (mg L -1 ) De '13 Fe '14 My '14 Jul '14 Sep '14 Ot '14 De '14 Dte Figure 5. Clium lehed from potting medium Liviston hinensis () nd Sygrus romnzoffin () plnts during 17 months of growth with Atlnti, Hrrell s or Nutri-Pk fertilizer. Letters ove rs for n individul dte represent men seprtion y Tukey s t.5 level. Lehte onentrtions were highest during the months etween My nd Otoer. This ws n expeted result, s nutrient relese rte is temperture dependent, if the temperture is ove the threshold nutrient relese gets elerted leding to deresed produt longevity. Furthermore, high rinfll or hevy irrigtion long with the plement of the fertilizers ould hve lso influened the high nutrient lehing during the wet seson. Severl studies hve reported tht nutrient relese in ontrolled relese fertilizers is highly influened y the environment [14 16]. Nutrient lehte from ll the three produts ws errti during the experiment period inditing vrile relese rte. Cost of using ontrolled relese fertilizers in hortiulture is onern for mny growers. We ompred ost ssoited with the use of eh fertilizer to determine the most ost effetive fertilizer. Tle 2 shows summtion of monetry osts ssoited with eh fertilizer tretment. There ws single Nutri-Pk pplition in erly Novemer 213 with no susequent pplition until Septemer 214. Atlnti fertilizer ws pplied every two months nd Hrrell s every three months. Tle 2 shows the fertilizer nd lor ost for seleted months with umultive totl ost up to tht dte in the lst olumn. Pots were hnd weeded nd muh of the differene in lor ost etween tretments, espeilly when there ws no fertilizer pplition, ws due to differenes in weed growth. Over the first few months fter the initil fertilizer pplition, Nutri-Pk tretments required more time for weed removl thn the other tretments. One this initil weed growth spurt ws over, ll tretments required miniml weed ontrol. During most months lor ost for Atlnti nd Hrrell s were higher due to lor expended for periodi fertilizer pplitions. My 214, pproximtely seven months fter the first fertilizer pplition the umultive ost for eh tretment ws essentilly the sme (Tle 2). After seven months eonomi svings egn to

10 Agriulture 215, umulte with Nutri-Pk. A seond round of fertilizer tretments, with djusted required mount sed on stem dimeter, were pplied on Septemer 214. While Hrrell s nd Atlnti reeived the sme mount s the first tretment, the Nutri-Pk tretment reeived three-yer pplition pket. After the seond pplition the estimted rek-even time would e in pproximtely 17 months. After this, ost of Nutri- Pk tretment gets lower with no dded lor ost for fertilizer pplition for the next severl months. Atlnti nd Hrrell s hd omprle pplition osts. Tle 2. Cost nlysis for mintenne of two plm speies fertilized with Atlnti, Hrrell s or Nutri-Pk plm fertilizer for 17 months of growth. Tretment Fertilizer Cost Lor Cost $1./h Totl Cost/month Cumultive Totl Novemer 213 Atlnti $1.25 $9.95 $11.2 $11.2 Hrrell s $.62 $12.5 $13.12 $13.12 Nutri-Pk $4.2 $9.88 $14.8 $14.8 Ferry 214 Atlnti $. $9.1 $9.1 $4.5 Hrrell s $. $8.98 $8.98 $41.87 Nutri-Pk $. $9.53 $9.53 $42.1 My 214 Atlnti $.32 $9.64 $9.96 $69.68 Hrrell s $.62 $9.57 $1.19 $7.2 Nutri-Pk $. $9.4 $9.4 $69.22 Septemer 214 Atlnti $1.1 $9.64 $1.74 $99.32 Hrrell s $.94 $9.8 $1.74 $1.1 Nutri-Pk $11.8 $9.28 $21.8 $18.58 Deemer 214 Atlnti $1.1 $9.64 $1.74 $11.6 Hrrell s $.94 $9.76 $1.7 $11.8 Nutri-Pk $. $9.14 $9.14 $ Conlusions Nutri-Pk ontrol relese fertilizer is omprle to other ommeril fertilizers in Chinese fn growth ut the lrger Queen plms likely require n dditionl pket during the tive growing seson. Our reserh indites tht Hrrell s produed higher mounts of nutrients in the lehte ompred to Atlnti. Nutri-Pk resulted in less nutrient lehing nd ws ost effetive in the long run with redued lor ost of fertiliztion. It ould e etter hoie environmentlly nd eonomilly. Different plm speies responded differently to the fertilizers. Thus, future studies fousing on pplition time to oinide with the growth rte of different plnt speies will led to more effiient use of ontrol relese fertilizers nd to the development of improved environment friendly nd ost effetive produts.

11 Agriulture 215, Aknowledgements This projet would not hve een possile without the guidne nd support of the Agroeology Progrm t Florid Interntionl University nd USDA-NIFA-Multiulturl Sholrs Progrm Thnks to Christopher Dunn, Devon Tylor, nd Jevon Sunders for their dedition nd ontriution towrds smpling nd dt olletion throughout the reserh study. Nutri-Pk nd Hrrell s for fertilizer dontions towrds the experiment. Author Contriutions Stewrt Reed, Krish Jyhndrn nd Angie Fleurissint oneived nd designed the experiments; Angie Fleurissint nd Stewrt Reed performed the experiments; Stewrt Reed nd Pushp Soti nlyzed dt; Stewrt Reed nd Krish Jyhndrn ontriuted regents/mterils nd nlysis tools; Pushp Soti wrote the pper. Conflits of Interests Any mention of produt y rnd nme is for informtion only nd should not e viewed s support for the produt. The uthors nd the genies they represent do not endorse or denoune ny produt nmed in this mnusript. Referenes 1. Hodges, A.; Hydu, J. The Nursery nd Lndspe Industry s Impt on Florid s Eonomy; Eonomi Report to the Florid Nursery, Growers, nd Lndspe Assoition, Food nd Resoure Eonomis Deprtment, University of Florid: Ginesville, FL, USA, Hynes, J.L. Plms in the South Florid Lndspe. In Proeedings of the Florid Stte Hortiulturl Soiety, Ginesville, FL, USA, 2; Florid Stte Hortiulturl Soiety: Ginesville, FL, USA, Brosht, T.K. Fertiliztion of field-grown nd lndspe plms in Florid, 215. University of Florid IFAS Extension. Aville online: (essed on 14 Jnury 215). 4. Elliott, M.L.; Brosht, T.K.; Uhid, J.Y.; Simone G.W. Compendium of Ornmentl Plm Diseses nd Disorders; Amerin Phytopthologil Soiety: Bethesd, MD, USA, Brosht, T.K.; Meerow, A.W. Plm nutrition guide, 2. University of Florid Coopertive Extension Servie, Institute of Food nd Agriulture Sienes. Aville online: (essed on 25 Jnury 215). 6. Knox, G.; Brosht, T.; Kidder, J.; Gilmn, E.; Trenholm, L.; Blk, R.; Wihmn, T.; Plmer, D.; Zer, R.; White, C.; et l. Fertilizer reommendtions for lndspe plnts, 22. University of Florid Coopertive Extension Servie, Institute of Food nd Agriulture Sienes. Aville online: (essed on 14 Jnury 215). 7. Fernndez, R.T.; Cregg, B.M.; Andresen, J.A. Continer-grown ornmentl plnt growth nd wter runoff nutrient ontent nd volume under four irrigtion tretments. HortSiene 29, 44,

12 Agriulture 215, Brosht, T.K.; Meerow, A.W. Continer prodution of plms, University of Florid IFAS Extension. Aville online: (essed on 24 Jnury 215). 9. SAS, Version 9.; omputer progrm; SAS Institute: Cry, NC, USA, Ingrm, D.L.; MConnell, D.B. Effet of prodution shde nd fertiliztion levels on estlishment of plms in the lndspe (Florid). In Proeedings of the nnul meeting of the Florid Stte Hortiulturl Soiety, Ginesville, FL, USA, 198; Florid Stte Hortiulturl Soiety: Ginesville, FL, USA, Brosht, T.K. Mjor plm nutrient defiieny symptoms nd fertilizer pplition, 215. University of Florid IFAS Extension. Aville online: AZ/PlmNutritionFertilizers.pdf (essed on 24 Jnury 215). 12. Brosht, T.K. Nitrte, phosphte, nd potssium lehing from ontiner-grown plnts fertilized y severl methods. HortSiene 1995, 3, Reed, S. (United Sttes Deprtment of Agriulture, Mimi, FL, USA). Personl ommunition, Merhut, D.J.; Blythe, E.K.; Newmn, J.P.; Alno, J.P. Nutrient relese from ontrolled-relese fertilizers in id sustrte in greenhouse environment: I. Lehte eletril ondutivity, ph, nd nitrogen, phosphorus, nd potssium onentrtions. HortSiene 26, 41, Husy, C.E.; Niemier, A.X.; Hrris, J.R.; Wright, R.D. Influene of diurnl temperture on nutrient relese ptterns of three polymer-oted fertilizers. HortSiene 23, 38, Huett, D.O.; Beverley, J.G. Longevities nd nitrogen, phosphorus, nd potssium relese ptterns of polymer-oted ontrolled-relese fertilizers t 3 C nd 4 C. Commun. Soil Si. Plnt Anl. 2, 31, y the uthors; liensee MDPI, Bsel, Switzerlnd. This rtile is n open ess rtile distriuted under the terms nd onditions of the Cretive Commons Attriution liense (