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Green-seeds.com:
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Horticulture Digest #102
A CAPILLARY, NON-CIRCULATING HYDROPONIC SYSTEM FOR GROWING ANTHURIUMS
 Tomatoes and lettuce
have been grown successfully in non-circulating hydroponic systems, with
yields equal to that of soil bed cultures (2,3,4,5,6). Non-circulating systems
are simple and relatively inexpensive compared to conventional hydroponic
methods. Mechanical aeration and/or circulation are not required for non-circulating
systems and thus, electrical power is not needed. The lower portion of the
plant roots are immersed in nutrient solution, and these roots specialize
in nutrient and water uptake. The upper portion of the plant roots are suspended
in the humid air above the nutrient solution and these roots specialize
in oxygen uptake.
Anthuriums have
been grown successfully without media in an aeroponics system (1), but this
system is fairly complex and costly to set up. In their natural habitat,
anthuriums are epiphytes growing on other plants for support and have numerous
aerial root s for absorption of water and nutrients. Morphologically, anthuriums
appear to be suited for culture in a non-circulating hydroponic system.
The purpose of this study was to test a capillary, non-circulating hydroponic
system (3,4) for growing anthuriums.
Results.
At six months after
transplanting, the nutrient solution had an EC of 0.5 mS, indicating that
about half of the initial nutrients had been used. After another 5 months,
the electrical conductivity was 0.06 mS, and an analysis of the nutrient
solution indi cated a very low level of available nutrients. The buckets
were then replenished with the original concentration of nutrients.
The plants have
been growing in this system for one year and continue to grow well, although
the tubes appear too small at this time. Root growth is prolific and healthy
and fills the bucket. In the past year, plants averaged over four flowers
each and me dium to large flowers are now produced regularly.
The capillary
non-circulating hydroponic system provides an alternative growing method
for anthurium growers with the following advantages:
-
it allows the development of healthy root systems in a nematode-free
environment
-
it provides a means for controlling water and nutrient delivery to
plants and maximizes efficient usage of these resources
-
it minimizes fertilizer leachate into the environment, and
-
diseases are reduced because the foliage remains dry.
Further studies need
to be carried out to determine whether this system can be adapted on a larger
scale for anthurium cut flower production.
Experiment. 
A non-circulating hydroponic
kit (4) was tested for growing anthuriums at the University of Hawaii, Waiakea
Agricultural Experiment Station in Hilo, Hawaii. Tissue cultured six-inch
'Kalapana' plants were transplanted from individual pots into plastic 8.2
5" x 1.5" forestry "cone-tainer" cells (Stuewe & Sons, Inc.) filled
with cinder medium (screened with 1/4? screen to remove fine particles).
Ten additional 3/16"-diameter holes were drilled in the tubes to supplement
aeration of the roots. Four cells were suspended from holes drilled in a
five-gallon plastic bucket lid and partially immersed (1 to 2") in the nutrient
solution in the bucket.
The nutrient solution
consisted of a commercial hydroponic fertilizer (Chem-Gro Universal Sump
Tank Formula 10N-8P2 05 -22K2 0) containing the following nutrients (in
ppm):
-
N, 80
-
P, 28
-
K, 146
-
Ca, 40
-
Mg, 8
-
Mn, 0.8
-
Fe, 1.6
-
Cu, 0.08
-
Zn, 0.08
-
B, 0.16 and
-
Mo, 0.04.
The initial electrical conductivity was 1.0 mS.
Containers were
initially filled with four gallons of nutrient solution. The bucket and
lid were covered with black polyethylene to discourage algae growth. One
bucket was placed under 80% shade saran in a fiberglass greenhouse, and
a second was placed un der a polyethylene cover in an 80% shade saran house.
No additional nutrients were added, but water was replenished by adding
about 0.3 gallons per month.
Literature Cited
1.
Higaki, T., J. S. Imamura, and D. Moniz. 1992. Anthurium aeroponics. University
of Hawaii Horticulture Digest. 97:1-4.
2.
Kratky, B. A. 1990. Design of a capillary, subirrigation hydroponic lettuce
cultivation system for a remote area. Proc. Nat. Agr. Plastics Cong. 22:141-146.
3.
Kratky, B. A. 1993. A capillary, non-circulating hydroponic method for
leaf and semi-head lettuce. HortTechnology. 3(2):206-207.
4.
Kratky, B. A. 1993. A non-circulating hydroponic kit for leaf and semi-head
lettuce. Proc. 24th Cong. of the Amer. Soc. for Plasticulture Cong. 24:8-11.
5.
Kratky, B. A., J. E. Bowen, and H. Imai. 1988. Observations on a non-circulating
hydroponic system for tomato production. HortScience 23(5): 906-907.
6.
Kratky, B. A., H. Imai, and J. S. Tsay. 1989. Non-circulating hydroponic
systems for vegetable production. Proc. 21st Nat. Agr. Plastics Congress.
21:22-25.
J.
Lichty, lichty@hawaii.edu
B. A. Kratky, kratky@hawaii.edu
T. Higaki, N. Nakamura, and D. Moniz
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