A STUDY OF CYCLAMEN PnhSlCUM WITH SPECIAL HEFEhENCE TO ITS NUTRITION, HYPOCOTYL DEVELOPMENT AND OPTIMUM TEMP&hATURE FOR GERMINATION By WILLIAM LEON WaTSON a THESIS Submitted to the school of Graduate Studies of Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment“Of the require­ ments for the decree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Horticulture 1949 ACKMOftLjiDOMEHT The writer wishes to express his thanks to the ' following persons for their assistance during the period of this experiments To Dr. hay Lewis Cook, of Miohlgan State College Soil Science Department, for his guidance in setting up and conducting this experiment as well as for the photographic work} to Dr. Charles Leonard Hamner, under whose direotion the experiment was conducted; to Dr. w. D. Boten, for i ' * his assistance with the statistical analysis of the data; to Professors P. R. Krone, Head of Floriculture i • *■ *• Department, and C. E. Wildon for their aid in selecting and securing materials; to Doctors W. B. Drew, h. E. Marshall, D. P. Watson and E. F. Woodcock,m for their I suggestions and help in general; and to Mrs. N. B. Smith, for her criticisms and suggestions. TABLE OF COUTENTS INTRODUCTION REVIEW OF LITERATURE I. NUThIENT STUDY flan of Procedure Soil Type Soil Test Fixing Capacity of Oshteoio Soil Nutrient Levels Studied Source of Nutrients Preparation of Stock Solution ' Cultural Practices Mature Plants Seedlings Results Fixing Capacity of Oshtemo Soil Effect of Nutrients on Growth. Half-mature Plants Seedlings Effect of Nutrients on Flowering Discussion II GERMINATION STUDY Plan of I'rooedure . Observation Discussion SUMMARY LITERATUhR CITED INTRODUCTION The extensive use by florists of Cyolamen oeralcun as a pot plant for winter sale and certain difficulties Involved in its culture made it desirable to conduct the following experiment. Although cyclamen are still used a great'deal, their used as a Christmas pot plant is on the decline for several reasonss the greater certainty of a » higher percentage of excellent plants from poinsettia and others; the length of the growing period of cyclamen from seed to blossom, which may be as long as sixteen months; and the small number of good plants usually obtained from ■J a single seeding. It is believed that many of the failures in the production of cyclamen have been caused by a lack j of adequate information regarding the"intensity and the ^ ! balance of nutrients required for optimum growth and ' flower production. j To secure precise information concerning the nutrient requirements of this plant; that is, t.te proper concentra­ tion arid balance of the elements nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, was the major objective of this experiment. A preliminary investigation of the optimum temperature for seed germination and of the development of the hypocotyl was also undertaken. -2HtVIKl OF LlTaKaTUftfi A search of all available literature reveals practi­ cally nothing on the nutrition of cyolamen. Daker (o) states only that the final soil should be a rich mixture with rotted manure and a little bone meal added, he fur­ ther suggests a mixture ofsthree parts loam, one part peat or leaf mold and one part sand. Laurie and Kiplinger (10) suggest a mixture of light loom soil, leaf mold and well rotted manure. They fur­ ther suggest that when the shift is made into 4-inoh pots, and larger, additional fertiliser in the form of 4-12-4 or horn shavings be added at the rate of a 5-lnch pot full to 2 bushels of soil. Vogel and others (17) conducted an experiment with cyclamen using three* different concentrations of fine ♦* complete commercial fertilizers. The percentages of ni­ trogen. phosphorus and potassium were from 8.09 to 28.07. 8.0 to 17.o7, and 8.0 to 21.51 respectively. They found- that the number of deformed buds increased concurrently with the Increase of nutrient concentration* However, no definite nutrient levels were maintained in the soil. Brown (1) stated that the presence of one element in the soil influences thp absorptive powers of plants for other mineral nutrients of the soil and fertilizers. He also stated that "somewhere between the limits of ex- -6 oosa find defioienoy for the different essential elements— nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, oaloium, magnesium, sul­ phur, iron,, etc. — ie the optimum range of the well- o balanced mixture of nutrients whiot^will be found to vary according to the nature of soil, variety of crops, supply of water, amount ofsunshine and numerous other environ­ mental factors•" j Shear, Crane and Myers (16) have stated that "maximum growth and yield occur only upon the coincidence of opti­ mum intensity and balance. At any level of nutritional intensity there exists a nutritional balance at which optimum growth for that intensity level will result. This means that at any given level of nutritional intensity, provided all nutrient elements are in proper balanoe, it I ^ is possible to obtain plants that appear nornal in every respeot in which all metabolic processes are probably j qualitatively normal. However, maximum growth and yield V. result only when the proper balance of nutrient elements occur in combination with their optimum intensity." Meyers and itnderson (12) state that, "absence or defioienoy of any of the necessary mineral elements in the soil or other substratum upon which plants are growing will sooner or later become apparent in their development. An insufficient quantity of any of the essential elements in a plant in an available form will result in the pro- -4ciuotlonj of growth aberrations which are symptomatic of lack of an adequate internal supply of that element.* Hoagland (8 ) stated that high nitrate form of nitro­ gen may accelerate the Injury produced when potassium is deficient. He also stated that it is evident that if nitrogen forms a limiting factor for growth, an inoreased supply will entail a greater demand for potassium and vice ’ versa. |Merrill and Greer (11), Fainter et al. (Id) and Sitton (14) work agree with the conclusion as presented by Hoagland. Merrill and Greer (11) on the fertilization of.tung seedlings state that "There was no response to nitrogen unless phosphorus was applied to the soil, and considering the leyel of precision of the experiment, it is question­ able if there was-an actual response to phosphorus unless f nitrogen was applied.” . Painter, Matthew and Brown (Id) also working with tung made mention of the fact that there was no response i to liberal applications of nitrogen when the level of potas slum was low, in fact liberal applications of nitrogen at low potassium levels tended to aggravate the disorder. Sitton (14) in his work with tung using nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium corroborates the finding of Merrill and Greer in the fact that better yields were ob- i talned when high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus were » combined than when high levels of either one were used with low levels of the other. -5- Oartner (6 ) working with Primula oboonioa finds that high amount of nitrogen and potassium oaused stunting and ■i chlorosis. He further states that when potassium levels were low and nitrogen high* stunting and chlorosis was not prevalent, and when the potassium was high and nitrogen low,. fa:Lr plant growth was obtained. He recommended as optimum growing levels, nitrogen 35 ppm.; and potassium 20 ppm. i Fountain (4) gives as the optimum nutrient levels . for the growth of ooleus as follows: Nitrates 25-50 ppm.| phosphorus 10-20 ppm.; and potassium 5-16 ppm. Fuhr (5) determined the optimum levels of nitrogen phosphorus >r and potassium for the growth of Begonia semperflorens. He recommends the ppm. requirement for nitrates, phosphorus and potassium to be 50 to 50, 5 and 50 to 50, ' respectively. NUTRIENT STUDY * Plan of Procedure In thla experiment cyclamen plants were grown at all poaalbla combinations of five levels of nitrate* flva levels of potassium and four ibvela of phosphorus. The total number of treatments and plants waa one-hundred. Nitrogen response was thus obtained from a total of twenty treatments* potassium response from an equal number* and phosphorus response from^a total of twenty-five treatments. Each treatment was represented by one plant. Soil Type The soil ohosen for this investigation was Oshtemo sand, a yellowish brown loamy sand ooourring as nearly level land. Very little clay is present in the subsoil* and loose dry sand and gravel extend downward for several feet. This soil naturully dries out very easily and is low in organic matter and strongly acid in reaction. The surface soil of about thre^- to four lnohes was ob­ tained from the Rose Lake Wild Life Experimental Farm near Bath* Miohigan* in ClintonJ3ounty. It was chosen became of its low nutrient level* whioh wherf‘tested by the Spurway active test showed nitrate nitrogen, 2 parts per million; phosphorus, 0 ppm.; and, potassium 2 ppm. The field from which the soil was taken had not been cultivated for several years. The soil pH was 5.5 Soil Testa The Spurway Simplex Soil Testing Method (15) was * used to test the soil samplea In order to maintain the soil at a desired nutrient level. The tests were made for the "active" or available nutrients, or that ma­ terial in the soil which was thought to be available to the plant. (The tests for the "reserve" nutrients were not made.) These tests were made approximately every two weeks. Additional nutrients were added to reestablish the original levels whenever the tests' in­ dicated a need, ' 6 Fixing Capacity of Oshtemo Sill One cannot^by simple calculation arrive at the quantities of nutrients necessary to establish certain levels i?h the soil. This is because a portion of the nutrients added is fixed into forms not available to the plants and not extracted by the reagent used in the soil testing procedure. Accordingly it was first necessary to determine the capacity of this Oshtemo sandy soil to fix nutrients into, unavailable forms• The following prooedure was adoptedi • Twenty-four samples of 185 grams eaoh of air dry soil were carefully weighed into glass tumblers. samples were arranged in 18 groups of 2 each. The first 2 were left untreated while the remaining 11 The -6? pairs of samples were treated with Increasing amounts of NaNO^, CaH4(P04)2 and K 2 S04, as shown in table 1. The 8 odium nitrate was added from a stock solution which was prepared by dissolving one-tenth gram of chemlcally pure sodium nitrate (NaNOjj) in each milliliter of distilled water. The stock solution of potassium was prepared by dissolving five-hundreths gram of chemically pure potasslum sulphate (Kg3 G4) in each milliliter of distilled water. Phosphorus was added in the dry form of monocalcium phosphate (Cah4 (P04)2. Vurying amounts wore weighed out and added to the tumblers as shown in table 1, » i • Care was taken to odd the same total amount of water to each tumbler. The amount of water added was 55 ml. per 125 grams of soil. % The tumblers were covered and allowed to stand for 4 weeks, after which the samples were tested by the Spur­ way Method (15) to determine the quantity cf nitrate, phosphorus and potassium remaining in available form. Nutrient Levels Nutrient levels were established as follows* Nitrate Nitrogen -- 0 ppm., 25 ppm., 50 ppm., 1UGppm. and 2C0 ppm.) Phosphorus -- C ppm., 5 ppm,, 10 ppm. and20 ppm.; o ' * Potassium — 0 ppm., 15 ppm., 50 ppm., 60 ppm. and 100 ppm. 1 -9- Bvery possible combination of these three nutrients and of the levels as stated above was madtf“so that there were 100 different treatments. Therefore, each plant wag grown at a different nutrient level, with a total of 20 plants at eaeh level of nitrate, a total of 25 plants at each level of phosphorus, and, finally, a total of 20 plants at each level of potassium. • Table 2 shows the treatment numbers and parts per million of each nutrient as established in each pot* Source of Nutrients Sodium nitrate (NaNO^) and ammonium nitrate were used as carriers of nitrogen, and monooaloiua phosphate CaH4 (P0 4 )g was the source of phosphorus, with potassium sulphate (K2 SO4 ) supplying the potassium. above compounds were chemically pure. All of the Ammonium nitrate was used to supply half of the nitrogen at each level in an attempt to alleviate the possibility of sodium toxi­ city in the pots requiring high levels of nitrogen, Method of Preparing Stook Solutions Stock solutions for each nitrogen level were pre­ pared as shown below for the level of 2 b ppm* As indicated previously by the fixation tests, ,04 grams of JVaNO^ was required to raiBe the le^el'of NO^ in 0 -10- ' 125 grams of toll to 25 ppm, Table'1. Using that rats of NaKO^ to 8£ll,~ .464 grams was rsquired to raise 1450 grams of soil to 25 ppm• of N0,j. One-half of the nitrogen was supplied as NaMO^ and the other half as Thus eaoh pot maintained at 25 ppm. of nitrate received, .252 gram of RaMO^ and the equivalent of that quantity of MaflO^ as MH4 MO3 (.109 gram). Stock solutions of each of these salts were made up in such concentrations as to contain the amount of the salt necessary for one pot in 10 ml. of distilled » ‘water. ^ Applications were then meets in solution. Stook solutions for eaoh potassium level were, pre­ pared us shown belovt for the level of 15 ppm. as the fixation tests indicated, .020 grams of' Kg304 was required to raise the level of potassium in 125 grams of soil to 15 ppm. Using this ratio of K2894 a to soil, .252 grams was required for the 1450 grams of soil used in each pot. . v For 15 and 50 ppm. of KjgO* stook solutions were made up containing the 'required amount of K2 SO4 for eaoh oot in 10 ml. of distilled water, but for the levels of 60 and 100 -ppm. of KgO, I t was, necessary to use fifty ml. of water to completely dilsolve the neoessary amount of KgitfU for eaoh pot. -11- Phosphorus was added to the pots in the dry fora of monooalolum phosphate (CaH^ (P04)2). The amount was de­ termined as given below for the 6 ppm. level. as indioated by the fixation teat, .1 0 gram of CaH4 (P0 4)g was required to raise the level of 125 grams J of soil to 5 ppm. Using that ratio of OaHjtPO^g to soil, 1*15 grams was required for the 1450 grams of soil used in eaoh pot. Table 3, shows the amount of nutrient carrier requlred in 1450 grams of soil to bring the level of eaoh nutrient up to the total parts per million desired for the treatments used in this investigation. * Cultural Practices Half-mature plants: Two weeks prior to repotting, one-hundred twenty-five half-mature plants of Cyolamen persloa were reoelved from Vogts Greenhouses, Sturgis, Michigan. The plants were in very vigorous and healthy growth, having dark gre<*n foliage vrlth the typical cyclisten leaf pattern, averaging approximately 10 mature leaves to « the plant. • • The pattern of leaf coloration was observed closely because it was thought that various nutrient levels might ohnnge or influence the subsequent pattern on new leaves. -11?On July 12-16, 1948, the plants sere shifted from pots to the regular oyolamen pots in soil whioh had , reoeived the necessary nutrients for that particular level combination. Before repotting, the hall of soil in whioh the plant was* growing was placed in a pail of water and all of the soil oarefully and gently washed off. Because of the brittle nature of oyolamen roots this had to be done with great care. The new soil, after partial air-drying, was oarefully worked among the roots, Kaph pot was thoroughly watered and placed -in a^bench with a one-inch layer of gravel. This gravel was watered dally even when the plants did not require watering. In order to decrease the effeot from the shook of removing the soil from the roots at this age and time of year, a cheese cloth shade was constructed And placed over the benoh. This reduced the Intensity of the sun during the summer months. To further aid in reducing the temperature and sun Intensity, a mud shade was put on > the greenhouse glass and the Wfalks were wet-down twice dally. In September, October and November, the temperature was held between 50° and 55° F. From the latter part of November to the end of the experiment, the plants were moved to another greenhouse in whioh the temperature was 65° to 70° F. \ No disease or lnaaot injury waa In evidenoe. How­ ever, aa ^ preventive'measure, the plants were twice t •% sprayed with Parathlon 25% at the rate of 1 tap. per gallon of water. Spot-watering waa practiced in order to keep the pots at as uniform a moisture content as possible. It was notioed that the soil of the higher nutrient levels dried out considerably slower than that of the lower levels. Periodlo soil samples were taken approximately every two weeks, and tested by the Spurway method, to get the present level and to determine whether the nutrients needed to be replenished. This part of the experiment was terminated January 6 , 1949, at which time the number of flowers per plahtj the length of peduncles and the weights of the whole plant, the top, and lower parts consisting of the hypoootyl end roots were taken (Table 4 and 5). Seedlings) In order to get a more complete picture of the response of oyolamen to various nutrient levels, it was decided to grow-them in the seedling stage at the same nutrient levels at whioh the mature plants were grown. On July 20, 1948, seeds from some "selfed” varieties in the Michigan state College greenhouses were planted. The seedlings were allowed to grow until two to three -14- leaves were formed before transplanting. On October 24, 1948, the seedlings were lifted and potted into 2 &M pots containing the same type of soil as was used for the larger plants and with the same combinations of nutrient •i* levels. These seedlings were grown at a night temperature of 48° to 65° P., and the day temperature of less than 65° P. Periodlo soil tests were made and sufficient nutrients added as their need was indicated by test results. On March 84, 1949, the fresh and oven-dry weights were taken of the tops and hypoootyl and roots, whioh are recorded in table 5. The number of leaves and the average leaf sise was reoorded at the beginning of the investigation and also at the end. \ -15Tabla 1. Traatoant 1 2 Hutriant Fixation Capaoity of Oahtaao Sandy Soil Aaount of Carrlar . Nutrlant Carrlar (go*) S1 Nitrata M Solution Laral Obtalnad 0 a •03 0 1 .0 it a ,04 0 1.5 5 N a .05 0 2.5 6 M a ,06 0 3.5 7 It n ,08 0 4.0 it .1 0 0 5.0» II a .15 0 It a 2 3 it 4 8 9 10 * .2 0 <• . \0 .6 1 0 .0 1 0 .Oa -16- Table 1* Treatment 11 (Continued) nutrient Carrier Phosphorus C a H ^ P O^ g Level Amount of Carrier (gm.) solution (ml.) Obtained (ppm,) ,06 0 15,0 .30 0 20.0 12 " * 1 Potassium K 2&O4 ® ® 2* 2 " " .02 0.4 15* 3 " % .036 0.7 20 4 " « .05 1.0 30* 5 • M .1 2.0 40 6 ■ “ .15 3.0 60* 7 " * .2 4.0 80 8 " a .25 6.0 100* " ■* .30 6.0 120 10 " •* .4 0.0 140 11 " * .6 10.0 175 18 * * 1.0 20.0 240 9 * 4‘ • ♦Levels selected for.use in the experiment -17- Traataant *°3 P K 1. 0 0 __ 0 2. 0 0 15 3. 0 0 30 4. 0 0 60 5. 0 0 100 6. 0 5 0 7. 0 5 15 8. 0 ✓ 0 5 30 5 60 10. 0 5 100 <1 1 . 0 10 0 12. 0 10 15 13. 0 10 30 0 10 60 16. 0 10 100 16. 0 20 0 17. 0 20 15 18. 0 20 30 19. 0 2° 60 20. 0 20 100 25 0 0 22. 25 0 15 23. 25 0 30 to . Tabla a. Nutriant Lavela Maintalnad (p.P.M.) 25 0 60 25. 25 0 100 9. 4 14. 21. . . -18Table 2. (continued) lutrlent Levels Maintained (P.P.M. Treatment P K 26. 25 6 0 27 . 25 5 15 28. 25 5 30 29. 25 5 60 30. 25 5 100 31. 25 10 0 32. 26 10 15 33. 26 10 30 34. 25 10 00 35. 25 10 100 36. 25 20 0 37. 26 20 38. 25 20 30 39. 25 20 60 40. 25 20 100 41. 60 0 0 42 . 50 0 16 43 . 60 0 30 44. 50 0 60 45. 60 0 100 46. 50 47. 50 5 16 48. 50 5 30 49. 50 5 60 50 . 50 5 100 ^ . 5 . • 15 0 . -19- Table 2 (oontinued) Xutrient Levels Maintained (PPM.) MOj F K 61. 50 10 0 62. 50 10 15 63. 60 10 30 64. 50 10 60 56. 60 10 100 66. 60 20 0 87. 50 20 16 68. 50 20 30 69. 50 20 60 60. 50 20 100 61. 100 0 0 62. 100 0 15 63. 100 0 30 Treatment s 64. 100 0 60 66. 100 0 100 66. 100 6 0 67. 100 5 15 68. 100 5 30 69. 100 5 60 70. 100 6 100 71. 100 10 0 72. 100 10 15 73. 100 10 30 74. 100 10 60 76. 100 10 100 -20- P K 100 20 0 77. 100 20 15 • 00 e* 100 20 30 79. 100 20 60 60. 100 20 100 81. 200 0 0 . CD CO Table 2 (oontinued) Mutriant Level* Maintained (PPM.) 200 0 15 83. 200 0 30 CO . 200 0 60 86. 200 - 0 100 86. 200 5 87. 200 5 15 CO CO . 200 6 30 89. 200 6 60 200 5 100 91. 200 10 0 92. 200 10 15 93. 200 10 30 94. 200 10 60 95. 200 ‘ 10 100 96. 200 20 0 97. 200 20 15 98. 200 20 30 99. 200 20 60 100. 200 20 100 Treatment' 76. *°3 ! - 0 . 90. * 21Table 5. Amount of Nutrient Carrier* Required For Desired Levels. ^ Nutrient Nutrient Carrier Amount p'pu. sr ■foEal" Amount or oarrler PPM. eaoh of soil (grama )_ nutrient (« * •» » ) N0 a MaNOd 1450 1 2 .6 no3 NH4 N0 a 1460 1 2 .6 MOd N«MOa 1460 26.0 no3 nh4 no5 1460 25.0 no3 MANO3 1460 60.0 NO3 NH4 N05 1460 50.0 N0 a NaNOa s* 1460 1 0 0 .0 *<>3 jw4 no3 1460 1 0 0 .0 200 1.5 .252 25 •109 .464 60 .218 1.16 100 ' •64 2.9 P CaH4 (P04)g 1450 5 6 1.16 P CaH4 (P04 ) 2 1460 10 10 2.52 P CaH4 (P04 >2 1450 20 20 5.48 K Kg304 1450 15 15 •252 K K2804 1460 60 50 .58 K Kg304 1450— 60 60 1.74 K k2 so4 1450 100 100 2.9 -22RK3ULTS Fixation Capacity of Oshtemo soil The results of the tests to determine the fixing oapaoity of Oshtemo sandy soil for nitrate, phosphorus and potassium are shown by the data presented in table 1 . The graphs shown as figures 1, 2 and 6 were constructed from these data. By making use of these graphs it is possible to determine the quantity of eaoh fertilizer neoessary to raise the nutrient content of any oertain quantity of Oshtemo soil to any desired level in parts per million. Bffeot of Nutrients on Growth On January 6 , 1949, 177 days after repotting, the mature oyolamen plants were removed from the pots, washed olear of soil and weighed. The data were re­ corded as fresh and dry weights of tops and fresh and dry weights of hypoootyl plus'roots* These data are reoorded in table 4. The same data were obtained for the seedlings on Jfaroh 26, 1949, 161 days after repotting and are re­ oorded in table 5. Response.to Nitrogen Two weeks after the plants had been repotted a visible difference in response to the various levels of nutrient oonoentratlon was noted. Those plants at 25 23 ppm* und 60 ppm* of nitrates seemed to vithatand tha ahift better than thoae growing at 100 and 200 ppm. of nitratea. Dying of the top parta of the planta wag moat severe at 200 ppm. of nitratea and 100 ppm. of potassium Twenty days after repotting, potassium toxicity, whioh waa shown by ji, general browning of the leaves from the outer edge inward, was most evident on plants grown at 100 ppm. of potassium and low nitrogen (0 ppm). This'was less evi­ dent as the level of nitrogen was. increased. Effect of Mitrogen on Growth of Tops The fresh weight of the tops of mature planta at 26 ppm. of nitrates, a total of twenty plants, was 764.4 grama, a higher figure than that reached by the plants at any of the other nitrate levels (see table 6 ). The fresh weight of all tops at O ppm. of nitrate was 431.4 grams, a difference of 333 grams which an P value of 6.24 . . . showed to be significant. i At the 5 per cent point the P needed to be 4.04 for statistical significance) at the 1 per cent point it needed to be 7.10. The response curve of mature cyclamen to nitrate .expressed by the fresh weight 7 of the tops, as seen in figure 6 , was nearly the same as that or the number of flowers. The correlation of the ourves for dry weight of tops and flowering was not as great as that of fresh weight of tops and. flowering. There was no statistical difference between the fresh weight of -24the tops at GO ppm. And 100 ppm, of nitrate, a There was eudden drop in fresh weight, however, At 200 ppm, of nitrste, whloh showed the toxioity of 200 ppm, of nltrste. The stAtistioAl break dowp, as presented In table 6, shows that growth of the tops at 25, 50 and 100 ppm, of nitrate was significantly better than at 0 ppm. of nitrate. It S also shows that 200 ppm. of nitrate has a greater depres­ sing effeot upon growth than 0 ppm, of nitrate. The differences expressed in the dry weight of the tops (table 7 and figure 7) showed that the same things were true as stated for the fresh weight of tops, exoept that there were no significant differences between 25, 50 and 100 ppm, of nitrate. That 0 ppm. and 200 ppm. of ni­ trate had a retarding effeot on growth was also shown by the dry weight of the.tops. Seedlings* The seedlings displayed a little dif­ ferent response to nitrates than did the mature plants. In the seedlings, the response ourye to nitrate expressed / by the fresh weight of tops showed that 50 ppm, of nitrate produced the greatest weight (figure 4), as compared to 25 ppm, of nitrate in the case of the mature plants. Also there was a significant increase in fresh weight of tops from 0 ppm, to 50 ppm, of nitrate and then a straight line decrease at 100 and 200 ppm. of nitrate•• Level -25oompared with M2, and If* showed significance at 6 % point (tahla 8 ) whioh was alao true with the mature plants. However, H2 oomparad with H*5 and N* showed a highly significant differenoe. This was not trua in tha mature plants when fresh and dry weight of tops wera used as a measurement of growth. Tha dry weight of tha tops of tha seedlings at 50 ppm. of nitrate was significantly greater than that at 0, 2d, 100 and 200 ppm. of nitrate. There was a significant increase between 0 ppm. and 25 ppm. of ni­ trate and between 26 ppm. and 50 ppm. of nitrate, but at 100 ppm, of nitrate there was a significant drop in weight and a highly significant drop at 200 ppm. The toxioity of 200 ppm. of nitrate is quite evident in the seedlings as well as in the mature oyolamen plants. The seedlings differed from the mature plants in that the mature plants showed no significant differenoe in dry weight of tops between 25, 50 and 100 ppm. of ni­ trate while the seedlings showed a significant lnorease in dry weight of tops from 0 to 25 to 50 ppm. of ni­ trate while the drop began at 100 ppm. of nitrate in­ stead of at 200 ppm. (table 9 and figure 5). Effect of Nitrogen on Hypoootyl plus Root It was observed that the best root development took place in the soils of low nitrate levels. There were many dead roots in the pots maintained at high nitrate / -26levelsl This may be the manner in which the very high nitrate levels limited plant growth. The increasing of phosphorus h»d~a tendenoy to temper the detrimental ef­ fects of the high nitrogen on root development. Figure 7 shows the lnteraotion of different levels of nitrates and phosphorus upon the hypoootyl and roots. Figure 4 shows the response ourve of the hypoootyl plus roots to various levels of nitrates. As the levels of nitrate were increased, the fresh weight of the lower parts of the plant deoreased. There was a negatively significant differenoe between all the nitrate levels in that they decreased the fresh weight of the hypoootyl plus roots, (see table 1 0 ). Kffeot of Nitrogen on Flowering Figure 6 shows the response ourve of the effeot of various levels of nitrate nitrogen upon the produc­ tion of flowers. The ourve shows two peaks, the higher one at 25 ppm. and the next at 100 ppm. At 25 ppm, of nitrates, 196 blossoms were produced and at 200 ppm,, 42 blossoms. The differenoe is highly significant. Table 110 shows further comparisons. There was a signi­ ficant drop in production from 100 ppm. to 200 ppm. of nitrate. It seems that cyclamen respond best to com­ paratively low levels of nitrate. The increase from 122 blossoms at 0 ppm. level of nitrate to 195 blossoms at 26 ppm, is greater than is necessary for significance -27at 1%• In general any amount over 26 ppm, of nitratea hag a depressing effeot on the production of flowers* Plate 2 pictures the effect of various levels of nitrate on plant growth and flowering wheir phosphorus and potas­ sium are at their optimum* N In oomputlng the number of flowers, those buds which were sufficiently developed, and would probably have opened if allowed to remain longer, were counted as blos­ soms* However, an examination of table 12 will reveal that the percentage of unopened blossoms as well as that of fewer blossoms was highest for the higher levels of nitrate and potassium* Hesponse to Potassium The effeot of potassium applications upon mature cyclamen did not prove to be significant when fresh weight of tops was used as a measurement of growth* As shown by the summations in Table 6, the plants which did not re-• oelve potassium yielded slightly more than did those which were grown at the 15 ppm* level* was not significant* However, the differenoe The toxioity level of potassium was reached at 60 and 100 ppm* The statistical analysis of the effeot of potassium levels upon the dry1weight of the tops-of mature cyclamen revealed that 15ppm. of potassium produced the greatest weight* The dlfference between 0 ppm. and 15 ppm* of i -28- potassium was significant. The toxioity of 100 ppm. of KgO was shown by the sudden drop when K® was com­ pared with K4. There was no significant differenoe between dry weight of tops when grown at 30 and 6Q\ppm. (Table 7). Seedlingsi The fresh weight of the tops of seed­ lings also showed no significant response to applications of potassium but unlike the mature plants the maximum fresh weight of tops was reached at 30 rather than at 0 ppm. of potassium.' However, there was very little dif­ ference. between the effects of 15 and 30 ppm. of potas­ sium. The best response then seemed to come from 15 and 30 ppm. of potassium. Where the nitrate was low, the lnoreaae in potassium resulted in decreased growth, which began to be quite notioeable at 50 ppm. of potassium, but where the nitrate was raised from 0 ppm. to 100 ppm., the ill effects ap­ peared mainly at 60-100 ppm. of potassium (see plates 3 and 5)• Potassium caused significant differences at the b% point in the dry weight of seedling tops. A breakdown of this showed that 50 ppm. of potassium caused results which were significantly different from those oaused by the 60 and and 100 ppm. The differences oaused by the X1 levels of potassium were statistically signifi­ cant (see table 9). These differences are clearly shown * i by the seedlings shown in plate 7. -29Effect of Potassium on Flowering The greatest number of flowers was produced at 15 ppm. of potassium. The number produoed at this level was significantly greater than that produced at the 30, 60 and 100 ppm. levels. at the 5% point. The differenoe was significant Table 11 and plate 5 illustrate this \ fact. It is Interesting to noto the correlation between the dry weight of the tops and flowering. * Effeot of Potassium Upon hypoootyl and Roots The reducing effeot on the fresh weight of the hypoootyl and roots oaused by potassium was remarkable. On the plants not treated with potassium the hypoootyl and roots were larger than on those whichreceived this nu­ trient. 15 ppm. of potassium reduced the fresh weight over that at 0 ppm. by 49£. Levels 50 and 50 ppm. of potassium had about the same.reducing effect, with another sudden drop at 100 ppm. .of KgO. There wus a statistically significant interaction be­ tween nitrate and potassium levels upon the fresh weight of seedling tops. The highest was reaohed at a combination of 30 ppm. of KgO and 100 ppm. of nitrate nitrogen. (Figure 13)• Dry weight of seedling tops did not show this to be significant. Response to Phosphorus phosphorus had no apparently significant effeot upon the total fresh or dry weight,*the number of flowers, the fresh and dry weight of tops, or the fresh and dry weights of hypoootyl plus roots in tfie mature plants. The time of flowering was hastened by increasing the phosphorus when the nitrate level was low• This is clearly shown in plate 4 , in which the potassium was maintained at 15 pjmt nitrate 0 ppm. and phosphorus increased from 0 to 20 ppm. The number of pots 3howing blossoms at certain inter­ vals of time, based on different levels of phosphorus, as recorded in table 15, showed.further the effeot of high phosphorus on early flowering. There was a significant interaction between nitrate and phosphorus levels which affected the fresh weight of the mature plant tops (Figure 6). At the low nitrate level, the fresh weight of tho top; decreased as the phosphorus was increased, at the highest level of phosphorus, the maximum fresh weight of mature plants -as re ched in combination with 25 ppm. of nitrate. significant. However, this was not ntatistloa®y The above weight wus also the highest for any of the NF level combinations. The growth of the top did not increase directly when-both nitrate and phosphorus levels were increased, but there was an interaction which • varied with different concentrations of both. At 50 ppm. -51 of nitrates, the best growth of the tops was attained In combination with 0 ppm. of phosphorus. k The maximum growth » of the tops oame about at the 5 ppm. of phosphorus level and decreased with 100 and 200 ppm. of nitrate. The maxi­ mum dry weight of the tops for a-ll combinations of NP was reached at 20 ppm. of phosphorus when in oomblnatlon with 100 ppm. of nitrate. The response of the hypoootyl plus roots to HP levels is shown in figure 7. The low levels of nitrogen combined with increasing levels of phosphorus gave the highest *1 weights. At 20 ppm. of phosphorus, increments of nitrates reduced decidedly the fresh weight of the hypoootyl plus r~ roots. -62A Table 4. Freeh end pry Weight of Tope end Hypoootyle plus Root?.of the mature plants. * Fresh Weight (grams) Treatment fop Dry weight (grams Hypeootyl and Roots fetal fop Hypoootyl and Roots Total 1 63.7 26.6 60.0 6.8 6.8 10.6 2 69.0 49.0 88.0 4.1 9.8 16.9 6. 29.6 29.0 68.5. 6.6 5.6 8.8 4 6.0 9.0 14.0 3.0 1.7 4.7 5 11.6 26.0 64.5 4.4 6 46.0 48.6 91.5 5.6 7.6 12.8 7 22.0 60.0 52.0 2.9 7.8 ’10.7 8 19.0 20.6 69.5 - 6.7 4.6' 8.0 9 69.0 66.0 74.0 6.6 6.0 9.6 10 6.9 14.1 20.0 2.9 2.8 5.7 11 27.6 65.0 62.5 4.0 5.2 9.2 7.6 16.5 24.0 2.7 2.8 6.5 14 18.0 15.5 66.5 6.0 2.9 6.9 14 29.0 32.0 61.0 4.7 „ 6.5 11.2 16 26.0 60.5 54.5 6.1 6.5 9.6 r- 16 18.6 24.0 42.6 6.0 4.0 7.0 17 21.0 61. 52.0 4.2 5.0 9.2 18 16.0 68.5 54.5 2.6 9.7 <■ 7.6 , 16.0 26.5 2.5 6.0 28.4 69.4 2.4 5.2 12 7.7 % 19 20 11.0 16.6 5.5 7.6 ■Ml" 21 66.6 21.8 55.5 5.6 5.9 11.6 22 6.6 1C.5 19.0, 6.8 2.4 6.2 26 6.0 17.1 21.1 2.6 6.4 5.7 -66- T*bl« 4. (o«ntinu»d) _________ P r w h ’ W i g h t (grama) Tftnwnt Dry W i g h t (graa») Top Bottom Total Top Bott»m Total______ 24 3,5 18,5 f' 22.0 1.5 3.3 4.8 26 1.6 18.7* 26.2 2.8 5.2 6.0 26 33.0 14.0 47.0 5.4 2.0 7.4 27 37.0 25.0 62.0 5.8 4.2 10.0 28 63.6 37.5 121.0 7.8 9.7 18.6 29 26.0 18.0 45.0 5.0 2.9 7.9 30 18.5 24.0 42.5 4.2 5.0 9.2 31 67.6 26.0 83.5 1.9 4.3 6.2 32 68.3 21.7 90.0 7.4 3.6 12.0 33 62.6 26.0 88.5 6.3 6.7 11.8 34 4.0 10.0 14.0 2.6 2.3 4.9 36 16.6 12.6 29.0 3.7 2.0 ,5,7 36 33.0 ' 12.0 45.0 4.0 2.0 6.0 37 89.1 45.4 154.5 9.1 6.2 17.3 38 110.0 36.5 146.5 11.5 7.1 18.6 39 23.5 12.5 35.0 4.5 2.2 6.7 40 47.0 36.0 82.0 5*6 8.1 13.9 41 77,5 40.0 117.5 7.0 8.6 15.6 42 54.5 26.5 37.6 6.3 10.0 16.3 43 17.0 20.5 37.5 3.2 4.5 7.7 44 15.0 28.0 45.0 5.0 5.5 10.5 46 82.0 68.0 140.0 8.3 15.6 22.1 46 20.0 16.5 36.5 4.4 3.1 7.5 -54- .Table 4. (oontlnued) Tota! Tor Bottom Total Top 47 58.0 28.0 86.0 6.5 6.0 12.5 48 10.0 20.0 30.0 2.6 4.2 7.0 49 3.0 8.0 11.0 1.9 1.5 5.4 60 3.0 15.0 18.0 2.1 4.5 6.6 61 78.0 43.0 * 121.0 7.3 10.0 17.3 68 I 53 10.0 12.0 22.0 2.7 2.5 6.2 12.0 15.0 27. 0 4.0 2.2 6.2 64 23.2 30.3 53.5 4.1 7.6 11.7 56 69.0 44.0 115.0 9.5 5.0 14.6 66 1.5 5.6 . ✓ 5.1 1.1 0.9 2.0 57 22.5 13.0 35.5 3.7 3.0 6.7 58 27.0 15.0 42.0 5.6 2.1 7.7 59 13.4 15.1 28.5 4.2 3.3 7.5 60 36.0 34.0 70.0 7 *0 6.5 13.5 61 104.5 29.0 133.5 10.0 4.0 14.0 62* 53.5 29.5 85.0 6.0 5.0 11.0 63 12.0 26,0 38.0 4.0 5.5 9.5 64 10.0 19,5 29.5 2.8 3.2 6.0 65 1.5 3.6 5.1 1.1 0.9 2.0 66 25.5 30.5 54.0 6 5.7 11.7 67 82.5 29.5 112.0 8.0 4.5 15.3 68 90.0 28.3 118.3 ' 8.9 8.5 17.4 69 70.5 27.5 97.0 8.3 5.6 13.9 70 5.5 5.0 6.5 2.7 1.0 5.7 Treatment • Bottom -3 5 - Table 4 (continued) _ Freeh Weight (grama)_______________ Dry Weight (grame) Treatment Top Bottom Total • Top Bottom Total 71 22.5 25 47.5 3.7 5.5 9.2 72 50*5 29.0 59.5 5.7 9.5 15.2 73 14.0 26.0 40.0 3.4 5.5 8.9 74 15.0 42.0 57*0 7.6 10.0 17.5 75 1.5 3.6 5.1 M 0.9 2.0 76 23.0 14.5 37.5 4.0 2.5 6.5 77 5.6 20.0 25.6 4.4 3.5 7.9 78 3.0 7.6 10.5 2.0 ' 1.0 5.0 79 60.0 28.0 88.0 5.5 5.5 11.0 80 12.5 31.0 45.5 4.8 6.2 11.0 81 50.6 27.5 78.1 7.5 5.6 12.3 82 2.3 3.7 6,0 . 2.2 1.0 5.2 83 8.0 5.0 7.0 1.5 1.4 2.9 04 70.0 46.0 116.0 10.7 12.3 21.0 85 1.5 5.0 6.5 1.5 1.5 3.0 86 3.0 5.5 8.5 1.5 1.5 5.0 87 39.0 34.0 75.0, 5.0 8.5 16.5 88 5.0 15.0 20.0 2.0 3.0 5.0 89 2.0 7.2 9.2 1.9 1.0 2.9 90 2.2 8.7 10.9 1.6 1.4 3.0 91 8.0 14.1 22.1 2.8 2.5 5.3 92 4.0 26.0 30.0 2.7 11.5 14.2 93 28.0 25.5 51.6 5.5 3.5 9.0 -56- Table 4 (continued) • Freeh Weight (grams) Treatment Top - Dry Weight (grams) Bottom Total Tod Bottom Total 94 61.0 24.6 55.6 5.5 4.0 9.5 9& ^.l 15.8 20.9 0.8 2.2 5.0 96 6.5 20.0 26.5 2.5 4.0 6.5 97 28.5 25.0 51.5 4.2 \4.0 6.2 98 10.0 14.0 24.0 4.0 2.0 6.0 99 4.8 2.5 7.5 2.7 1.2 5.9 100 2.4 6.6 11.0 1.8 2.1 5.9 -37Tabla 6. Pot No* Franh unrl Dry V.eight of tha Top and Hypoootyl plus Roots of Tha Seedlings (graas) Fresh Vialoh t Hypoootyl Top and Roots Total Top Dry Weight Hypoootyl and Roots Total 1 •50 1.50 2.00 .040 .210 .250 2 .75 1.80 2.55 •060 .220 .280 3 .70 1.00 1.70 .070 .150 •220 4 .75 1.50 2.05 .075 .210 .285 6 .90 1.70 2.60 .100 .356 •455 6 1.00 2.50 3.50 •100 .500 .400 7 1.00 5.50 4.50 .080 .520 •000 8 1.40 2.70 4.10 .150 .500 •650 9 2.00 3.50 5.30 .270 .720 .990 10 1.20 1.40 2.60 .100 •280 •580 11 1.10 1.70 2.80 .110 ,.290 .400 12 1.55 2.55 4.20 .150 .470 .020 13 1.40 2.50 3.70 .195 .400 •595 14 1.40 2.15 3.55 .150 .580 •550 15 1.05 1.60 2.65 .090 .260 .550 15 1.90 4.50 6.40 .090 .890 . .960 17 1.26 2.25 5. £0 .165 .455 .020 16 2.00 5.00 5.00 .200 .520 .720 19 1.15 3.00 4.15 .100 .440 .540 20 .85 1.90 2.76 .100 .260 .360 21 .00 1.80 2.40 •CBG .295 .375 22 .80 2.10 2.90 .080 .520 .400 -38- Taple 6* Freah and Dry weight of the Top and Hypoootyl plua Hoot a of tha Seedling! (grama) (continued) ^> Pot No. Frcah Height hypoootyl and ftoota Top 23 .66 2.00 2.65 •115 .310 •425 24 .70 1.50 .2.20 .125 .165 .290 26 .60 1.55 2.05 •ICO .175 .275 26 1.70 3.80 5.50 .200 .460 •660 27 1.70 1.70 3.40 •140 .240 •380 28 .65 •40 1.25 .020 .200 •290 29 1.20 2.45 3.65 .120 •360 •500 30 •66 .60 1.25. •065 •100 •165 31 1.50 2.00 3.50 •140 •330 .470 32 1.66 3.35 4.90 .160 .390 •550 33 1.50 1.85 3.35 •160 .260 .420 34 2.20 2.30 4.50 .235 •355 •590. 35 2.30 1.65 3.95 •2e5 .285 .570 36 1.45 5.50 4.95 .150 .480 •610 37 1.60 2.50 4.10 •200 ' •350 .550 36 2.40 2.40 4.60 •2e5 •525 •610 39 .75 .75 1.60 .070 .150 •200 40 1.75 2.75 4.50 .175 .380 •565 41 .30 1.00 1.30 .070 .150 •200 42 .90 2.50 3.40 .100 .330 ,450 43 1.60 2.80 4.20 .140 .500 •640 44 .50 1.40 1.90 .065 •145 .200 Total Top Dry Weight Total Hypoootyl and Hcota -59Table 5. (continued) The Fresh and Dry Weight of the Top and Hypoootyl plus hoots of Oeedlings (grams). Hypoootyl and Roots total Top 45 o 00 . 1.60 2.40 .070 .200 .270 46 1.50 2.80 4.50 .120 •510 •450 47 2.50 1.50 4.00 .220 .290 •510 48 1.15 1.60 5.56 .160 •25b •585 49 2.50 5.40 5.20 .250 .640 .790 50 5.66 5.25 6.90 •500 .450 .750 51 2.00 5.00 5.00 •150 .450 .600 62 1.60 .75 2.55 .200 •150 •550 55 .56 .70 .050 .065 •115 54 i.55 1.20 1.46 2.60 •150 •200 •550 55 1.65 1.50 2.96 .180 .255 .445 56 1.50 5.20 4.50 .170 .560 .550 57 1.60 1.90 5.50 .120 .260 .580 58 2.16 1.70 5.85 .240 •260 .520 59 2.20 2.00 4.20 .220 .560 .580 60 .60 .20 1.50 .080 .150 .210 61 . CO o total Pot No. .80 1.00 .050 .120 .150 62 .45 .20 1.15 .050 •100 .150 65 .40 2.00 2.40 •065 .555 .440 64 1.25 1.90 5.15^ .140 .515 .465 66 .50 .80 1.50 .050 •100 .150 66 .40 •50 .70 •060 .070 •150 Top Hypoootyl and Roots -40 Tablo 5. (continual) Tho Froah and Dry Woight of tho Top and Hypoootyl plus Roota of Soodllnga (grama) Top .76 1.50 .076 .146 •220 1.80 2.15 5.95 .170 •410 \680 69 .50 •80 1.10 .070 .120 .190 70 1.50 1.10 2.40 .215 •280 .496 71 o 00 . 2.10 2.90 .096 •226 •520 72 .70 1.00 1.70 .076 .170 .245 75 1.60 1.50 5.10 .215 .285 .500 74 1.20 1.60 2.80 .115 .255 .550 75 .25 •40 .65 .055 •055 •090 76 1.65 2.50 4.15 .240 •440 .680 77 1.50 1.20 2.70 •200 •180 .580 CO 4.50 1.55 5.65 .610 • ..260 .770 79 1.50 •80 2.10 -.140 .170 •510 60 1.00 .65 1.65 .150 .180 •210 81 .10 .50 .60 .020 .060 .070 82 1.00 .60 1.60 .110 •105 .215 85 .85 .55 1.40 .105 •100 .205 84 •50 •45 .75 .070 .080 «>85 .55 .50 .85 .060 .100 .160 86 to CO . .45 1.50 .120 .110 .250 87 * •20 •80 1.00 .070 .110 .180 88 .20 .60 CO brr WolgjTE Total Hypoootyl and Roota Proah w l g hfc Total Hypoootyl and Roota .150 •150 .260 Pot. Mo. Top 67 .75 68 \ A .150 1 o • -41- Tablo 5. (oontlnuod) Tho Proah and Dry Kolght of tha Top and Hypoootyl plua Roota of doodllnga (grama) Hypoootyl and Roota Top 89 •48 .50 90 •20 91 wiflhfc Total Top Dry Woight dypoooiyl and Roota Total ''.095 .145 .070 •120 •190 1.25 1.00 2.26 .150 •210 •560 92 •60 •55 .96 .100 .100 •200 95 .70 •60 1.50 •100 .100 •200 94 •40 •60 1.00 •050 •150 •180 95 •50 .40 .050 .050 •080 98 .50 .70 1.00 •020 .070 •090 97 1.10 .50 1.60 •110 •110 •220 98 •20 •50 .70 v-,060 •080 •140 99 .50 .45 .95 .100 •060 .160 100 •45 .45 •90 .070 .060 .150 \ •050 •70 .96 V .90 O • Pot Ho. -42Table 6.’Analysis of Variance of the Fresh Weight of Tops Mature Plants A. Two-way tables: Pi f° 5? £ P^ P3 118,7 66,0 846.0 181,6 186.4 128,9 197.0 94.0 270.0 51,2 110.0 208.6 198.2 83.5 78.1 73.8 302.6 100.4 104.1 52.2 786.6 741.1 672.6 633.1 K2 K1 !C° 122.5 157.0 177.0 173.5 68.1 £. 698.1 M° I1 *2 N5 I* 82.5 261.0 66.0 119.0 45.0 573.5 89,5 200.9 145.0 172.1 73.8 681.3 K6 80.5 56.0 54.6 155.5 107.8 454.4 £ 431.4 764.4 632.6 639.1 307.9 K4 £ 56.4 89.5 190.0 19.0 13.2 368.1 431.4 764.4 632.6 639.1 307.9 % K° Fi h ?£ I2 I1 299.8 122.5 193.5 82.3 698.1 185.8 238.6 120.3 166.7 681.3 65.5 207.5 134.5 166.0 573.5 K* 103.5 139.5 102.2 109.2 454.4 K* £ 104.0 33.1 122.1 108.9 368.1 728.6 741.1 672.6 633.1 B. Souroe Degree of freedom 3ums of squares Mean of squares f Total N P K NP NIC PK HPJC 99 4 3 4 12 16 12 48 69572.75 6663.91 303.29 4091.17 14565.85 12686.27 9923.62 21338.68 1665.98 101.10 1022.80 1213.82 792.89 826.96 444.55 3.74 — 2.30 2.73 1.78 1.86 ' \ (V.S.) (M.S.) (V.S.) (M.S.) (N.S.) -44- Table 6. (continued) 0* Analysis of Variance of the Freeh Weight of Tope — Mature Plante Breakdown of treatment variances K? VS Mi Mi VS M? M? VS Mf M* VSM4 N0 VS M1 / *Z / *5 / » (M.S.) / Mj / M* (S. at S%) / M4 (M.S.) (V.S. at &£) / H® / M5 (V.S. at &%) OJ See figure i for the lnterreaotlon of NP levela. -44Table 7. analysis of Variance of the Dry Weight of Tops (mature plants) A* Two-way tablest M° Ml *2' M3 N4 p° P1 p2 17.6 16.0 50.0 26.9 26.4 18.4 28.2 17.7 34.7 12.0 17.6 21.7 27.6 21.4 17.3 P3 t 14.7 68.2 34.9 100.8 21.6 96.9 20.7 100.7 15.2 67.9 £ 110.9 111.0 105.6 107.1 K° K1 K2 K3 M° M1 ■8 H3 24 16.1 16.9 19.8 23.7 14.3 16.9 26.1 19.2 24.9 14.1 12.6 27.7 16.6 18.3 13.0 16.8 13.6 15.2 24.1 20.8 11.8 68,2 16.5 100.8 27.1 95.9 9.7 100 5.7 67.9 £ 90.8 98.2 87.2 87.5 70.8 X1 K2 K3 K4 ?2 P3 P3 36.9 22.6 19.7 14.6 22.4 29.0 21.2 25.6 14.6 25.2 22.0 25.7 26.0 20.7 24.4 19.4 17.6 16.5 18.2 21.8 £ 90.8 98.2 87.2 87.5 70.8 P° K4 £ £ 110.9 111.0 105.5 107.1 B. Summary of analysis of variance of the dry weight of tops. Mean of Degree of Sums of squares squares Souroe freedom f. Total N P K UP NK PK KPK 99 4 3 4 12 16 12 48 528.31 59.72 .92 20.13 98.67 114.90 73.06 160.91 14.92 4.46 ----- - - - 5.03 8.22 7.18 6.09 6.65 1.50 2.45 2.14 1.82 (V.S.) (N.S.) (N.S.) (N.S.) (N.S.) (N.S.) - Table 7, (continued) Analysis of Variance of the Dry Weight of tops - mature plants 0* Breakdown of treatment variance -46 Table ®» Analysis of Variance Seedlings A. of the Presh Weight of Tops — Two-way table** p° P1 3.60 6.60 6.10 3.25 n± 4,10 11.70 n? £.80 4.55 *4. N4 2.60 1,90 i 4.50 h J 5.85 5.10 *1 5,05 N4 2.50 >1 Po p3 F1 L ** £ 6.50 9.05 6.80 4.55 5.25 7.16 7.96 7.85 9.76 2.55 25.85 26.55 50.45 21.65 10.50 16,55 50.85 50.15 55.25 JC° f P* X1 4.55 5.65 5.60 5.40 3.90 X* X* X4 £ 5.50 5.40 5.65 5.50 4.85 6.40 4.05 1.65 4.00 5.20 6.70 25.85 26.56 50.45 21.65 10.50 8.10 1.95 80.40 25.10 26.60 22.25 w5.05 1.50 20.85 X* X* X4 £ 4.20 5.50 6.45 6.40 5.90 5.05 7.00 5.55 16.55 50.06 50.15 55.26 20.40 25.10 26.60 22.25 20.25 X° K1 1.70 5.45 6.65 6.60 5,90 6.15 6.80 6.00 5.55 7.05 11.05 4.66 B. summary of analysis of variance of the fresh weight of tops Degree of Sums of Mean of Source freedom squares squares f. Total N P . K NP NX PK HPIC 99 4 3 4 12 16 12 48 v 55,24 8.72 8.03 1.53 11.68 7.58 4.58 11.32 * V.V.S. - Highly significant 2.18 2.68 .34 .97 •46 •38 .24 9.08 11.16 1.41 4.04 1.91 1.58 (V.V.S.)* (V.V.S.) (N.S.) (V.S.) (S. at 5*) (N.S.) -47T a b le 8 . (C o n tin u e d ) A n a ly s is o f V a ria n o e o f th e F re s h W eig h t Of Seedlings 0. cBreakdownof treatment varianoe M? Np MT IT K° VS VS VS VS VS M* / M* / / M4 (V.S.) M? / M" / M4 (3. at 6*) M* / I4 (V.V.S.) Mf (V.S.) M1 / N« / M^ (M.S.) P? VS *1 / P* / P* (V.V.S) F1 V8 P'j / F (M.S.) P2 VS P* (M.S.) See figure for a, representative of the lnterreaotlon re* sponee of the plant to NP levels. i . Table 9. Analysis of Dry Weight of Topi — a . Two-way tables* P1 F2 P* .446 .500 .446 .666 .666 .660 •616 1.040 •690 •440 •695 .980 .780 •685 .480 •655 •860 •880 1.220 .860 i 1.980 8.865 8.870 8.929 *° H° if H4 2.876 2.956 8.085 2.680 1.596 K2 I* K4 •465 •680 •640 •400 .890 •695 .650 .680 .980 •895 .696 .560 .675 •465 .270 .890 .625 •680 .410 .280 2.186 2.465 8.200 2.555 2.285 K0_ Kl K2 •400 .685 •666 .796 •516 .6^0 .720 1.296 2.465 8.200 H° *1 *? H? M4 .440 .660 .610 .426 .810r F° .240 Pi .600 P? .646 P-4 .660 £ £ K* K° £ Seedlings 8.186 K* •466 .760^ .700 .680 2.566 £ 2*876 2.955 8.086 2.680 1.695 £ .860 .760 .620 .656 1.980 5.865 8.570 8.926 2.286 Summary of analyali of dry weight of topst Mean of' Digrai of Sums of squares f. Souroe freedom iquareo B. 11 99 4 P 8 K HP UK PK NPK 4 Total 12 16 12 48 .6859 .0678 .0825 .0885 .0901 .0585 .0582 .1658 •0170 •0275 .0084 .0075 .0088 .0044 .0082 5.81 8.59 2.68 2.54 1.08 1.87 (a) (V.S.) (a. at (a. at (H.a.) (M.3.) -49 Table 9- (continued) C. Aneljeia of Dry Weight of Tope - Seedling! Breakdown of treatment of variance* W° V4> llj / M2 / M* / M4 (M.S.) VS f J / P* / P* (V.S.) Ill V8 »? / M? / M4 (S. at fijS) Fj VS F* / P* -U.S.) »2 VS M3 / M4 (3), F* VS F^ (M.S.) “? VS K2< Sf ^ * 4 ^ K (f-3#> r J VS K* / Kj / K4 (U.S.) *i VS K3 / I4 (S et 5%) K1 VS K (S. et &*) 1 Table10. The Analysis of Varianoe of the Fresh Weight of the Hypoootyl plus Roots — m a tu re p la n ts • a. Two-way tablest p2 p° P3 t J 1 7.30 8.96 9.30 6.80 2.60 13.40 8;06 12.76 5.10 3.05 10.40 11.16 6.80 6.60 2,95 14.65 11.90 9.60 6.50 2.60 £ 34.35 43.26 37.90 45.16 *2 R4 r4 R2 K° K1 9.78 9.00 10.20 10.20 *? 6.68 7.00 9.65 11.10 6.66 8.20 6.66 10.00 5.65 7.00 5.10 5.70 2.25 2.26 2.00 I4 2.66 £ 39.65 32.40 31.56 32.05 Pj K2 K*4 45.76 40.95 38.35 24.40 11.20 K4 6.60 6.55 6.85 2.95 2.06 25.00 £ 45.76 40.95 38.36 24.40 11.20 K4 £ 34.36 43.26 37.90 45.15 K° K1 5.60’ 9.85 9.80 14.40 7.70 8.25 8.10 8.35 8.36 6.55 7.66 10.46 6.60 8.06 8.96 7.00 6.15 7.05 5.35 6.45 32.40 31.65 32.05 25.00 £ 39.65 Summary of analysis of variance of the fresh weight of hypoootyl plus Roots. Kean of. Degree of Sums of Souroe Squares Squares freedom f. B. Total N P K MP NK PK RPK 99 4 3 4 12 16 12 48 93,4733 39.9902 2.9326 5.3902 11.7451 5.9460 7.5996 19.8697 10.0000 .9775 1.3476 •9788 •3716 •6333 •4140 24.15 2.36 3.25 2.36 (V.V.S.) (N.S.) (3* at 6j£) (S. at 5jt) -- 1.62 N*b« -51Tabl#10.(oonolud*d) Th» Analysis of Varlanoa of ths Frtsh Wsight of tbs Hypoootyl plus Roots. C. Breakdown of trsatasnt variancs HO *1 M8 Mj M1 vs «1 / g 'j / M? / VS M8 / M* / M4 / VS M? / M4 (V.V.S.) vs I4 (S) VS M8 (M.S.) M4 (V.V.S.) VS / K8 / ltj / X4iS> (V.V.S.) VS I8 / *} / I4 (U.S.) I8 VS K* / K4 (M.S.) Va *? ( /-* H -a , K° VS K1 / K8 / K® (5) 1 -5 2 - Table 11 Analysis of Variance of the Number of Flowers Produced, Two-way tables 1° *1 IT p° P1 p2 p3 £ 22 28 44 32 10 33 64 26 47 16 39 68 33 37 9 26 65 26 21 8 122 195 129 137 42 K° Kl K2 r 5 K4 39 36 35 25 6 26 63 25 35 12 21 55 15 31 13 23 31 24 34 9 13 20 32 12 2 141 151 133 121 79 Mo «; M4 136 175 176 138 £ K4 £ 16 34 39 30 20 16 20 19 136 175 176 138 £ 141 151 133 121 79 P^ Pj P2 P3 K° K1 K2, 38 38 49 16 40 39 37 36 20 48 31 34 £ / 122 195 129 137 42 B. Source Degrees of freedom Total M P K NP NK PK (fi.T)NPK 99 4 3 4 12 16 12 48 Sums of squares Mean of squares 2246.75 597.90 59.39 156.40 199.66 337.20 191.36 704.84 149.48 19.80 39.10 16.64 21.08 15.95 14.68 C. Breakdown of treatment variance sis V3 VS VS VS Nj/ I1/ N2/ iV N«y N4 N2/ N2- N3 / N4 (N.S) N3/ N‘ , N4 (V.S.) N4 (N.S.) (V.S.) *V.S. Very significant *M.S. Mot significant K° Kf K2 K° f. 10.20 1.55 2.66 1.15 1.44 1.09 (V.S.J* (M.S.)* (S.) (M.S.) (M.S.) (M.S.) K* (N.S.) VS K VS K-y K* (S.at 5%) VS K y K« (M.S.) VS K* (M.S.) -5 3 - Table IS. Number of Flowers Open and In Bud Stage and Average Length of Peduncle. blowers Average Treat;Flowers Average Treat- Flowers In bud Peduncle ment Flowers In bud Peduncle open stage (om. ■ent stage open (cm) 1. 4 4 11.5 25. 0 2 5.0 2. 6 3 10.5 26. 3 2 5.5 3. 2 1 10.5 27. 5 3 12.0 4. 2 0 10.0 28. 13 9 14.0 5* 0 1 10.0 29. o 5 11.0 ‘ 6. 9 5 9.0 50. 5 5 7.0 7. 4 0 9.0 51. 15 4 7.0 8. 0 4 7.0 52. 11 7 9.5 9. 7 0 8.5 35. 7 4 8,0 10. 1 3 7.0 34. 2 6' 6.0 11. 6' 6 6.0 55. 1 5‘ '4.5 12. 2 2 5.5 36. 3 5 5.0 13. 2 6 3. 5 57. 12 6 15.0 14. 4 6 6.0 38. 10 5, 14.0 15. 1 4 7.0 59. 5 5 10.0 16. 0 5 6.5 40. 4 2 8.0 17. 7 3 9.0 41. o 2 15.5 18. 2 4 7.0 42. 5 4 12.0 19. 4 0 5.0 45. 2 0 tt.O 20. 1 2 7.0 44. 5 4 7.0 21. 1 5 9.0 45. 9 7 15.0 22. 5 4 7.0 46. 0 9 5.0 0 7 8 47. 7 3 9.0 0 4 7 4b. 2 2 4.0 23 . 24. / -54- Table12.(continued) number of Flowers Open and In Bud Stage and Average Peduncle Length. Flowers Average Flowers average Treat- Flowers in bud length of Treat* Flowers In bud Length of ment open stage Peduncle ment open stage Peduncle ______________ (Ott.) 10 • <<>” »> 7 6 6.0 76. 5 5 6.5 12.0 74. 7 2 16.0 0 o.O 76. 0 6 4.0 1 1 7.0 76. 0 1 5.0 54. 2 6 16.0 77. 0 1 5.5 66. 4 6 12.0 78. 0 2 6.0 56. 0 2 5.0 79. 9 2 8.0 57. 1 4 7.5 80. 5 1 7.5 68. 4 1 8.0 81 0 4 4.0 69. 0 6 6.0 82. 0 6 5.0 60. 6 5 4.5 86. 0 2 4.0 61. 7 5 lo.6 84. 0 1 4.0 62. 1 10 7.0 85. 0 0 0.0 66, 0 6 6.0 86. 0 2 8.0 64. 2 0 7.5 87. 5 4 9.0 65. 0 1 4.0 88. 0 6 7.0 66, 4 4 10.0 89. 0 2 6.0 67, 6 4 12.0 90. 0 1 5.0 66. 11 4 15.0 91. 0 0 0.0 8 4 11.0 92. 0 1 5.0 70. 1 1 4.0 95. 0 2 5.4 71. 1 6 5.0 94. 5 2 8.0 49. 0 2 6,0 60. 0 1 6,0 61. 10 6 62. 1 66. 69. ’ 55 Table 12.(c o n t i n u e d ) lumber of Flowers Open and in Bud stage end Average Length of Peduncle. Flowers Average Flowers Average . Treat­ Flowers In bud Peduncle Treat­ Flowers In bud Peduncle ment cpen open Length ment stage Length stage (cm.) (cm.) 95* 0 1 3.7 98. 0 6 5.2 96. 0 0 0.0. 99. 0 1 4.5 97. 0 1 3.0 100. 0 0 0 -56 Table 14* The Number of Pot* Producing Flower* at Differ­ ent Intervals from the Beginning of the Treat­ ment. Tlmo Inter­ val - Days* 106-108 109-159 140-166 Total 0 0 0 (65-BON 2(30-K 8 Levels of phosphorus 6 PPH. . .10 PPM. TO-M 0 1(60-K (26-M (26-50-N 3 (15-60K 2(30-100-1 (1QG-N (100-M 2(15-K 1 ( 15-K 4 5 66 i*PN. (0-N a (15-30 K (0-26 N a (16-30 K (26-N 2 (60-K 6 •After Deoember 15, 1946 there was very little difference in the time of blossoming of the remaining pots. 57 Tablel4, Average Number and Slse of Leaves — £et ~ Number •/ Leaves End No. Beginning Seedlings Average Sise Beginning Knd 1 2 2.6 1.4/1.5 1.7/1.5 2 2 3. 1.0/1.5 1.6/1.6 3 2.5 3. 1.4/1.0 2.0/1.5 4 2.5 4 2.0/1.8 1.5/1.6 u5 4 4 2.0/2.0 2.0/2.0 5 2 4 2.0/1.9 2.0/2.0 7 5 4 2.0/2.5 2.3/2 .3 8 3 4 2.0/2.0 2.1/2.2 9 3 4 2.2/2.2 3.0/3.0 10 5 3.5 1.4/1.4 1.7/1.7 11 2 4 1.4/1.4 2.2/2.0 12 2 4 2.4/2.5 2.4/2.5 13 3 4 1.6/1.6 2.2/2.2 14 2.5 4 1.3/1.3 2.0/2.5 15 .3 3 2.5/2.5 2. S/2.5 16 3 4.5 2.6/2.9 2.5/2.5 17 3 4 2.0/2.3 2.0/2.3 18 2 4.5 2.6/2.0 2. 5/2.0 19 2 3 5.0/2.0 2. 5/2.5 20 3 4 1.7/2.0 ■1.7/1.6 21 2 3 1.4/1.5 1.8/2.0 22 3 2 2.0/2.3 _ 2/0/2.5 25 3 4 1.3/2.0 2.0/2.3 -58- as *vt oo • ct Table 14, (continued) Average Humber and Slse of Leaves — Seedlings Humber of Leaves Beginning End - Average iSise • Beginning End 24 3 3 1.6/1.6 1.9/1.9 25 5 3.5 1.6/1.5 1.7/1.7 25 2 3.5 2.2/2.8 3. 5/3.0 27 1.5 4.5 1.9/2.0 2.1/2,2 26 2 2 1.6/1.6 2.3/2,0 4 4.5 1.4/1.4 2,0/2 JO- ■ 50 2 2 1.7/1.7 1.8/2.3 51 3 3.5 1.7/1.5 2.5/2.0 52 5 4 1.5/1.2 2.5/2.0 53 2 3 1.4/1.5 2. 5/2.3 34 3 5 1.8/2.0 2. 5/2,0 35 4 5.5 2. 5/2.8 3.0/2.0 36 2 4 2.0/2.0 2.4/2,5 37 3 4.5 2 .0/2.0 2.1/2.3 38 2 4 2.0/2.0 2. 5/2.5 39 2 5.5 2.0/14 1.7/1. 5 40 3 3.5 2.0/2.0 2.3/2.0 41 2 2 1.7/2.0 42 2 2 2.0/1.9 2. 5/2.0 43 ~3 3 1.7/1.7 2.5/2.5 44 2 2 2.5/2.5 1.9/2.0 45 2 3.5 1.7/1.7 1.8/2.0 46 2 2.5 2.2/2.0 5.0/2.5 29 ' ' — -5 9 - Table l r4 (continued) A verage Number and Slse o f Leaves -Seedlings No. of Pot average Slse# Knd Beginning Number of Leaves £nd Beginning 47 2 3.5 1.6/2.2 3.5/3.5 48 2 6 1.6/2.2 1.7/2.0 49 3 5 1.2/1.4 2.0/1.6 50 3 3 2.U/2.0 3. 5/3.5 2 4 1.9/2.7 2.4/2.0 52 3 4 2.0/1.5 2.1/2.0 . 53 2 2 2.8/1.5 54 2 3 1.5/1.6 2.0/2,0 55 3 3 1.2/1.2 2.9/2.4 56 2 3.5 2.0/2.2 3.0/2.5 57 2 2 2.5/2.0 3.0/2.0 58 2 4 2.5/1.9 2. 2/3.0 59 4 7 1.2/2.1 2.3/2.1 60 2 2 2.0/1.5 2.0/2.5 61 3 3 1.8/1.2 — 62 2.5 3 2.2/2.2 m m 63 3 3 2.0/2.2 wee 64 3 2 3.0/2.0 3. 3/3.0 65 2 1 1.5/2.0 1.9/2*0 66 2.5 3 1.2/1.2 1.6/1.6 67 3 3 1.2/1.4 1.7/2.0 68 3 5 2.0/2,2 2. 3/2.5 69 2 2 1.7/1.9 2.0/2.0 51 « . — er -60Table 14.(continued) Average Number and Six* of Leave* — Seedling* NO* Of Pot* Number or Leave* Beginning Knd 70 5 71 2 \ Average iSi*** Beginning End 4 2 .2/2. 2 2. 5/2.2 1 1.5/1.5 5.0/5.0 72 2 5 1.5/1.5 1.7/1.8 75 4 4 2.0/2.0 1.6/5.0 74 5 5 1.5/1.5 2.4/2.4 75 2 2 1.0/1.0 76 4' 4 1. 9/1^9 2.8/5.0 77 5 7 1.9/1.9 1.5/1.9 78 5 7.5 1.5/1.6 2.0/2.6 79 5 5.5 1.5/1.9 1.7/2.1 80 1.5 - 5 1.6/1.4 1.7/2.0 81 2.5 0 2.0/1.7 82 2 5 65 2 84 „ — — 2.0/1.7 '2.6/2.0 4 1.6/1.6 1.9/2.0 2.5 5 2.2/2.0 2. 5/2.5 85 5.5 4 1.4/1.4 1.4/1.4 86 5.5 5.5 2.0/1.5 2.0/1.5 87 5 5 l.C/1.5 — 88 5 5 2.5/2.5 -- 89 2 2.5 1.0/1.0 1.5/1.9 90 2 2 1.5/1.5 2.0/2.0 91 5.5 5 1.8/2.0 2.5/2.6 92 2 5.5 1.2/1.5 1.8/1.7 -6 1 - Table 14.(continued) Average Number and Slse of Leaves — Seedlings No. of Pots Number of Leaves Knd Beginning Average Slse* find Beginning 95 £.5 5.5 1.5/1.5 1.9/1.5 94 £.5 2.5 1.2/1.2 1. 5/1. 3 95 2.5 1.5 1.2/1.2 1.5/1.5 96 1.5 5 1.9/1.9 1.3/1.5 yv 3 - 4 1.6/1.7 2.0/2.5 98 2 2 1.8/1.6 m 99 2.5 3 2. 5/2.2 mm m 5 3 1.5/1.5 100 2.0/2.0 *PIrat number represents length of leaf and the second number width of leaf. 300 .00 I o 0 1 ::::; i ;;; 1'1• of- pitrat*- Stock- Soiitt-ion Fixing fc&r«clty;qf bshtsnb; Soil; / 2G0 i Q O - o. lu. ::::: x.p::::: rr.^____ p : :.!i l!lv of •PotassiurrStocl: Solution ■f . . . * . 1 ‘ i 2. ! i’o^.ssiim'Fixation Capacity", of Oshtemo; Soil 8a0: 10.0 20.0 PPM of- f lini s p i l l e x tra c t 2C 1C 04 1!0 «5 Oran s of ]0afl4 fixafcld; shte/no So3. Seedllnpc Response to Nitrate Total Fresh wt. Wfcrf :ljn 8*4*4 j Hyp’& iRts Fresh _u _u : of nitrate t' Figure extract 1 ]" 1 teapons et o irve; of--seedlings’to various vels i£inijtEa^e exi3r-essed|. by^.total fresh--iv-t? fresh wt;.; of; hypDpptyl: plup roots, id: frfesh; w topaj -67- ng Response tbj Nitrate ^ “Total ;wt. in grams of tops Response curve of seedlings to of nitratei, expressed by total iry^ weight! of tops^.; ious -6 8 - Hallf-Mature Pllants: Response to Nitrate i- 800 1 Wt .' of tops Flowers umberiof;blossoms : 100 Dry ;wt. of tops :0 i . ! : USb-;.: I ; 5C PPMi rof iNl|bi*ate ;ln 'Soil Extract rt~r* .7Ti ^; 'df iHalf porisd iduxivjejHalf Mature , f. levels of Ti Plants to in ff-l^wer-tprddjUo fciJpnt- J 1'-a-x-F . -6 9 •• ! j .- j ! | Interaction of liltrjate and Phba phorus Levels ■crams oruse .20© !: ■:* 0;ppm* ;of'phpephO 2 b ppm* of phosphop I10--Ppnu-i-pf-phpipho r20:ppm. Of. phosphor The Response!CurvP:of. :;he. Seedlin g.to Inte aotion of NPj Levels as expressed in;Froih: l f t i ofI the !Hypoootyl plus•Roots * -7 0 - Ih traction.of UP.Lavela loruat oo:" Ni-tr in-3 "; Q tract ppm :6t B o Oq : -xx;> Reapc nae Curve idf fche I n t e r a c t ion o OXfltfaaaed I n IFre'ah' y •'Ig h t! 3?of>a: Or aturet‘qyoiHsmn ppwre !!!!!! - 71 - iteaponsc -toj. Potas3lum( . 7.QQ Frssh -Height-} Tops ; Mil!'!; 30 [Parts Per* Million f K2SQ4 h -;in Soil rExfcijacfc ; Hespcjnse QUijve 'oT, ture [cyclamen plants - tcHdlrfferant ■levels as flower nrodpctlon, fresh and d d f {tidij'i;; ;■ : j ! |1 j'l • : : | ‘ • i n * : ' •: i ponae to j^otaaalum :20 15 30 ■,;• !':!^c PJk. of K20 in Soil Kx Figure 10. Response df ;thd Seecllingd ;tqI 'd i f f e r ent ' Levets of [Potassium Kxpresslec^ J* J by ^Fr esih plus .Hoots . Weight of Hypoootyl plus :rr :qf 15 30 60 in Soil iqo tract thje Seedlings' to f [potassium ex-; Weight; of Tops . -73 Interaction .0£ .HB ilevala upon Cy.cpLainen .... Seedlnga iu m * ArXXir I 0 s: IT ioi'! 2 0 1rt ' • 11 .up ox. Gyolanian ..XiitiracfcJ.6iiuojt-lH£J aed ;by the dry {weigh j3e«dlin£: ;a4 !of* iidptii -74Interact! on .0fi MK la vela Upon Cyclamen Seedlings otaas . 100 Soil iKxtr. 0 — O; -ppm:, x " IS = S0 " gj| V |** r X • K®l --xlxx-xx ibo! X x x p c x K^-pocxjc-"" j( o f ; t h j e -Interao fcion of ejCurve oha Figure IS. •The Heap' amen See dllnga a'a: : ppo'h Cypl •t top|. « ; e l ! g h j t ; o pyi ^r.pah; p^pre.a.sie.d 11 1 ii — 7 b- xnter.a n Seedling; £ HP. It Soil !£xti ,.11 ( W irm: ae ffo ft ♦ ti rva fc*x»a< t •oy< orfi •78-. Hasponstt PhoBphorua reah Graum rmrc t spqijsra-^Cftxivgr;ot Ttfstw cyo.lanien pJJariba [to valrloual love cjf ;PHqapH6 a iaxprea ■as tota era rymkntnz tops • -77 tr-. t• t• m t . U t-l-i-! -4 1:!.u:: i.i 111: i .lli.lUi.li XLL l , i-i.Lt- • • t-• * -t-r i- -rt- J •) i-i-i i f+- t- ‘U U- r^rfrrn ~Tf nTlTT T r L r r T r f t r r h T : XL •4-L*~■U •> -t~H-hi-1-Lct- l Ll .j.uL. X L i ‘ - i : f-f-rf I-+*1—t1 1 i-t-t-t-- rrrfrrr: rr.:ri ll :it:: rrrTnrt -u \-bL-l- ■rt-rr XK. lT:p:pyj:,Lf o!f:.p^kfc* ! ! ' ' ill: .»-i~ LLiX: T!!t toh'aW;cLUv'e la n ita l:Xol-jvia |p- ! ! I XLL pHosLp^arua prelkh,t; and dry to .xrmxnri: rU r: tTrU rrrr r: tt! irit r rr.u*- i nx LLTL! m X XIT -7 8 - liiaciJS.sioH In this experiment, there were several outstanding responses of the half-mature cyclamen to the various levels of nutrients used. The plants did not thrive when given 800 ppm. of nitrate nor under 100 ppm. of potassium. * combination of these two levels resulted in very poor growth even when they were combined with the highest level of phosphorus, 20 ppm. Although the extremely high level of phosphorus, 20 ppm. did not result in the death -of the plant when used alone, — as was the case with nitrate nitrogen and potassium — there was a definite reduction of growth. Three weeks after repotting, potassium toxloity ap­ peared on the leaves of the plants which were maintained at 100 ppm. of potassium combined with 0 ppm. nitrate. Potassium toxicity appeared on the seedling plants at 100 ppm. potassium, 0 ppm. phosphorus and 25 ppm. nitrate nitrogen. High levels of potassium used in conjunction with low levels of nitrogen and phosphorus resulted in in­ jury which was symptomatic of potassium toxicity. The level of nitrate nitrogen which seemed to give' the best results in the dry weight of tops was 25 ppm. The dry weight of the tops at 25 ppm. was significantly greater than that at 0 ppm. of nitrate, but the yields obtained as a result of nitrate levels of 50 and 100 ppm. were not slgnl- fioantly greater than those obtained at 26 ppm• There­ fore, whara plants with many large blossoms, average slza follaga and good balanoe ara dasirad, 26 ppm, will give tha best results. However, if a large plant with fewer blos­ soms is desired, 60 or 100 ppm. would be best. The greatest number of blossoms was produoed at a con­ centration of 25 ppm. of nitrate and 60 ppm. potassium. The number of blossoms produoed at 2B ppm. was significantly greater than that produced at 50 and 100 ppm. nitrate. At 0 ppm. nitrate the number of blossoms decreased as the con­ centration of potassium increased* but at 25 ppm. of nitrate the number of blossoms increased as the potassium was in­ creased until the maximum was reached at 60 ppm., and then decreased with further increases in potassium. also true with the fresh weight of the tops. This was There was a dose correlation between the number of blossoms produoed and the fresh weight of the tops. Phosphorus as a whole did not cause statistically sig­ nificant differences in the growth of the mature plants. The greatest number of flowers was produoed at 10 ppm. phosphorus, but only one more flower was produced at this level than at 5 ppm. Therefore, 5 ppm. of phosphorus was as effective as any other level and deoldedly better than 0 ppm. In the seedling growth, however, phosphorus effeots were highly significant, for most of the factors used as a • -8 0 measurement of growth. It caused significant increases in the total dry and fresh weights and in the dry and fresh weights of tops. The only relationship in the seed­ lings wherein phosphorus did not produce statistically significant differences was in t*e dry and fresh weights of the hypoootyl and roots. 5 ppm. of phosphorus affected the sane amount of growth statistically as did 10 ppm* and 80 ppm. although both ;>roduoed slightly more growth than did the 5 ppm. The ability of high phosphorus to encourage early flowering when combined with 15 ppm. of potassium and 0 ppm. of nitrate was demonstrated clearly by the results shown in Plate 4. This tendency was not sustained when the nitrate level was increased. e* The interaction of NP levels upon the fresh weight of the seedling tops is shown in Figure 14. The maximum growth at 0 ppm. of nitrate was obtained when combined with 20 ppm. of phosphorus; at 85 pom. of nitrate, with 10 ppm. of ohoanhorus; at 50 ppm., with 5 ppm. of phos­ phorus; and at lOO^ppm. with 20 ppm, of phosphorus. From 0 ppm. up to 50 ppm. of nitrate, maximum growth of the tops was attained by decreasing the phosphorus from 20 ppm. down to 5 ppm. as the nitrate was increased. In other words, in order to get good growth of seedlings at low nltratl level, the phosphorus must be high, and the phosphorus must be diminished as the nitrate is Increased until 100 ppm. of nitrate is reached. y -61- When the potassium levels wars Increased, a decrease in the fresh and dry weights of ths hypoootyl and roots resulted. the other. iiaoh level produced a significant decrease over The best root system was produoed at the lower levels of potassium and nitrogen. In the statistical analysis of tho dry weight of the seedling tops, potassium proved significant at the 5£ point. In a breakdown of.this significance, 60 ppm. of .potasslum showed up the best. The dry weight of the tops at 00 ppm. of potassium was significantly greater tr.an that at 60 ppm. and at 15 ppm. t Study of Germination and Hypoootyl Development To determine the Influence of light and temperature on the gemination of oyclamon seed, and to study the develop­ ment of the hypoootyl, the following experiment was under­ taken. Plan of Procedure 400 cyclamen seeds were divided Into 6 lots of 50 seeds each. A total of 100 seeds for each treatment was . germinated under the following conditions; 80®P, — in darkness 6 0 °F* — In darkness 60°P. — In continuous light 40°F. — in darkness 50 seeds were pluoed in a petri dish on sterilized blotting paper. eaoh seed. The paper was ruled in squares to locate These dishes were plaoed in 40° and 60° F. Refrigerator rooms and in an 80° F. oven on January 19, 1949. To reduoe the fungus growth, the se*ds were placed In a jar and ahutcen until thoroughly covered with "Arasan" (tetramethylthiuram disulfide - 50% inort ingredients 50%). After .six days it was observed that fungus growth, if allowed to oontlnue, was sufficient.to alter normal germination. All seeds were then soaked for £-4 minutes . in an aqueous solution of bichloride of mercury, (1 gm. per liter) and thoroughly washed with water. The seeds were observed daily and moistened with distilled water when necessary. Hypoootyl Developments a hundred of these seeds were planted in a regular soed pan and placed in a warm greenhouse. At different stages of germination three or four were removed and studied under low magnification. Drawings were made and photographs taken to record de­ finite stages of germination. Some embryos were excised before germination to Identify the stage at which the swelling of the hypoootyl was evident. Observations There vas no germination of seeds at 80° F. More fungus and bacterial growth appeared in the petri dishes at 80° F. than in those at 40° and 60f F. After 91 days, only two per cent (2£) had germinated ^ at 40° F. The experiment was terminated April 12,. 1949* The germination data at 80° F. under oontinuous light are presented in table 17. The average number of days for germination was computed as 87.9, or 28.2 days longer thAn that required for germination at 60° F. in darkness. The peroentage of seeds whioh germinated under oontinuous light, was 68#, while that of the seeds in darkness was only 54$. The seeds at 80° F. in darkness began the germination within 27, days and oontlnued for 47, days (table 18). average number of days for emergence was 41.7. The The accumu­ lative germination for both light and dark oondltions, at 5 day intervals, is graphically presented in figures 17 and 18. ' Hypoootyl Development} • The exoised embryo showed that swelling was not present in the dormant embryo (see plate 18), but was in evidence just before the radicle emerged from the seed coat. Plate 17 was prepared Just as the radicle appeared as a bulging point beneath the seed coat and shows clearly the beginning of the formation of the tuberous-like structure. When the radicle had completely emerged from the endoapera and aeed coat, aa shown in plate 18, the swelling waa quite visible to the naked eye* There waa very little elongation of the primary root radlole* It aeemed to remain as a knob or plate at the baae of the awelllng from which the secondary roots arose* The hypoootyl swelling was well established before any \ secondary roots appears 1. This is shown In the two seeds a,fc the extreme right of plate 18* Dlsousslon The germination of cyclamen seeds under the condi­ tions of this experiment required an average of 41*7 days in darkness at 60° P* Laurie and Kiplinger (10) stated that from 4 to 5 weeks at a temperature of 5&°-80° P* was required for germination. Most writers have recommended that the seeds be planted in August* The fact that this experiment was conduoted between January and April may * possibly aooount f1!IS - - - - T0 L - - ■■: - - < r~ *»— - ; r r- - - — ■i- -- — - - -- -- - • . —^ __ - —r- - —— : : — - - _. -- - — -r - - * ---- _. 2 — - - « - * - - --- - - ■ ■- ' ~~ ' - -- *T" t - ---- * - - - J: - . - - 3r -- ^... 3 Z tm * - - 1 - ■ 1i - -- - > i .'. i 7' I :_ -« i ” I* i- - - - - T■ - 7f *- -- / '-j - » C«: » Bm St t£ « . . . .. • .:. • - - - T. - * - •• - - ----- - - -- — - -- — -- -- . - - , t ■ »• ' - - - - - H -1 ”1 -- - ' - .. - r - • - - -■ . * _ - Trf -6 8 - > - - ..... . . .. H" t • t - -- .. - -T - -ti : : i f '1 . . . .. -- T IT ... ' ---- - |— - - "1 * : ? t - ... !U } - • t i t *I I - - "I r * r '! ~T 1 1 . 4h-r "1 . ._ 1£ *2. * - r- H T f t f 4 '1 tr f t • ! ! f.— i t ; ; i t * ■i -i • •* -14-1 r _T ' ! t 1 * ~ *T“? n tf I 3 !'J ? ■1 -it i f r• r f P* f t ■ t t t i r r i t t • » 't i 1 t t T T T ... t III! 1 t *i '1f t ■t i t ■ t I ! ’ 1’ 1 ! !X i -i— i — X . i i ... _l_ yn -- - :z 1 . - %04- tk 7r . * "i - - -- i - - - - H• - - r -■ - •T * -4 2 - 3S - - ■ - H - •r i ■ - - *• * - - ii - ... . ----- - \ r Dl - - _ y. - ----- - - 1■ .. ■ • - - j . •* .- t• ~ ‘ ^1- -- ■ ■ - i - V> - - - - -■ - - -- - -1 — : ■- < - — ll *Z - ■mm - -- - * . ~z l E - -- - - - - -. _ .. - - 3I a: ■ km . . - - —“ - _ r.. ■i I ... - —r m■^ ■ — - - •- f z --- *- - - - ——— \ - -i -- -■ - r - : _. - - ‘ _ .. __ : ,— --- - —- _ * - -i — — - 4 - --- r - - ■ * - ~__ _ i -- i. *\ r : -- - - - •- - - L■. - -- -- ~— . - — - - i?T T 1 ! 'I'M - - - - -■ .... - - - - - - -- - - r - - - - ■: 0 r_ - - - - —c ■ Ill - f - - — -* t »] , i . ... - * - a- ■t ■ < r !' I s [ 4 i p u s D. H - -j. - Jb i 9 C E1.. I _ £ \ B: I - - ■ .: - - -- - - •- . .— - . ■- • I" _ “ -— -1 . _. 1 Jl) -i ; -- ri t t t ~ .. _ .. — ... i• t* 4-t . ?r i t • I 1 ■ - -i - ■i ' 4 4. ’ ; T f ! t "S' iM - 4 ... b f -t t - : - ... . 1IiS' 1 - -4 ii i; I ' M f ; t r • !t 'MTt[ - ft t I I1i ■>i ST r 1 -90- y o la nairu -Saads ■Of jcf jaefda r; rpt-?r i litL fid iittir J itJ !'1 IXU T-l- X -i ]■■-» T-rnr $ S! |-,„ 4 jP, OtSfonfft eacc •*rnt? :-t^n -91 SUMMARY / Under the conditions of this experiment. Cyclamen " persloum exhibited the beet growth with regard to flower produotlon at a concentration of 25 ppm* of nitrate nitro­ gen, 15 ppm* of potassium and 5 ppm. of phosphorus* In most instances, it was found that the treatments favoring flowering were also the ones most oonduoive to excellent top growth and total growth as measured in terms of fresh weights* For the first six months of seedling growth, if a low intensity of nitrate nitrogen is present in the soil, for maximum growth it must be used in combination with a high phosphorus level. The maximum response to increasing levels of phosphorus, however, proved to be when the nitrate level was held at 50 ppm* s 1 Although high phosphorus levels of % 20 ppm* in combine- _ tion with low nitrate levels tend to hasten flowering, the bio*some produoed Are small and few* During the first six months of growth, cyclamens re­ sponded best to a combination of 50 ppm* nitrate, 20 ppm* phosphorus and 50 ppm* potassium* In the half-mature plants, approximately the last six months of growth, the best res­ ponse oame from a lower balanoe of Intensity! 25 ppm* nitrate, 5 ppm. phosphorus and 15 ppm. potassium* f -92The fact that 26.2 more days were required to ger­ minate oyolamen seeds in oontinuous light than was re­ quired for germination In darkness shows that they are light sensitive. Continuous light retards but does not Inhibit germination. 60° P. Is the most favorable temperature for germi­ nation of oyolamen seeds. The tuberous-like base of the oyolamen develops ata very early stage^in the germination prooess. It is well established before the primary root branohes and beojoaes extended. The obM^jjratloa of tills tuberous development seems to indloate that it oonslsted of a hypoootyl, In two parts with a root, system whioh origi­ nated adventitiously from the transition sone of the hypoootyl. The swollen basal portion was made up mainly of hypoootyl tissue and may oorreotly be oalled the hypoootyl. i Plate 1. Ideal Plant - drown For 177 days at 25 ppm. Nitrate, 5 ppa. of phosphorus and 50 ppm. of Potas­ sium. Note balance, symmetry and proportion of flowers and foliage. Plate 2. Response of Cyclamen 160 days after re­ potting to 0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 ppm. of nitrate when grown at 5 ppm. phos­ phorus and medium potassium. Plat* 3. Rospons* of Oyolam*n to 0, 15, 30, 60, and 100 ppa. of Potaaalum wh*h grown at 0 ppn. of phosphorus and nitratos. Not*, potassilia, as low as 50 ppn. doorcases growth wh*n nitrogen is low. fi­ ts* -9 6 fWS *L. Plata 4. Rasponsa of Cyclaman to 0, 5, 10, and 20 ppm*' of phosphorus whan grown at 0 ppm.nltrata and 15 ppm. potassium for 160 days. Compare with first four pots in plata 6. i I -97 Plate 5. The effeot of 0, 15, 50, 60 and 100 ppm. upon oyolamen when grown at 25 ppm* ni­ trate and 0 ppm. potassium; Compare with plate 6 in whioh the nitrate and phospho­ rus has been raised one level each. -98- Plat* 6. A comparison between the res­ ponse of oyolamen to Cf 6, 1U and 20 ppm. of phosphorus when the ni­ trate nan changed from 0 to 200 ppm. and the potassium ohanged from 0 to 100 ppm. Note that damage la not done by increasing the phosphorus but by the high salt concen­ tration of either nitrate or potassium or both. Increasing phosphorus tends to de­ crease the injurious effect. Increasing UP!> alonet however, showed slight damage. Plate 7. Rasponaa of oyolauen to Of 15, 50, 60, and 100 ppa, potaaaiua whan grown at 100 ppa. nitrata, 80 ppa. phoaphorua and also at 0 ppa. ni­ trate, 80 ppa. phoaphorua for 149 days. Laft to rights upper rows H - 100 ppm. P r *0 ppa, K - Increasing by 0, 16, 50, 60, and 100 ppa. Lower rows R - 0 ppa, P -20 ppm, K - Increasing by 0, 15, 50, 60 and 100 ppa. -100- Plate 8. Cyclamen shoeing potassium toxioity 149 days after repotting when grown at 25 ppm. nitrate, O 'ppm* phosphorus and 100 ppm. potassium. This *KU toxioity dis­ appeared as the phosphorus was lnoreased. Plate 9. Response of oyolamen 160 days after repotting to 0,25,50,100,and 200 ppm. of nitrate when grown at 0 ppa. potas­ sium and 10 ppm. phosphorus. Compare with plate 11 and plate 2. Plate 10. The response of cyclamen seedlings, 149 days after repotting to 0,5^10 and 20 ppm. phosphorus when grown at 100 ppm. nitrate, 30 ppm. potassium and 0 ppm. nitrate, 30 ppm. potassium. Left to right: upper row N - 100 ppm. K - 30 ppm. P - 0,5,10,20 ppm. _ Lower row; N.— 0 ppra. K - 30 ppm. P - 0,5,10,20 ppm. Note: 100 ppm. nitrate was Injurious when no phosphorus was applied although potassium level is at an optimum. -1 0 5 - Plate 11. Keaponse of cyolamen to 0,25,50, IOC and 200 ppm. nitrato when grown at 0 ppa. of potaaaiua and phosphorus for 160 days• Compare with plate nine. flute 12. Response of cyclamen seedlings to (T, 25,50,100 and 200 ppa. nitrate when grown at 20 ppm. phosphorus, 50 ppa. potassium and 0 ppm. phosphorus, 0 ppm. potassium for 149 days. Left to right: upper row P - 20 ppm. K - 50 ppm. N - 0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 ppm. Lower row: P - 0 ppa. K - 0 ppa, N - 0,25,50,100,200 ppa. Note: High nitrate did not become injurious until at the 200 ppa. level when "P" and "K" are at optimum levels. Compare with plate 15. Plate 15. Response of oyolamen seedlings to 0, 26, 60, ,100, 200 ppm. nitrate when grown at 20 ppafT'phosphorus, 0 ppm. potassium and 0. ppm. phosphorus and potassium for 149 days. Compare upper row above with upper row of plate 12 to see importance of NK Interaction. Left to right: upper row P - 20 ppm. K - 0 ppm. N - 0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 Lower row: P - O^ppm. K - 0 ppm. N - 0, 25, 50, ICO and 200. -106- Plate 14. Response of oyclamen to comparatively extremely unbalanced nutrients* Left Right M - 0 P -10 K -30 H - 25 P - 10 K - 30 Plate 15..Response of cyclamen to comparatively closely balanced nutrients. Left Right 25 ppm nitrat^ 5 ppm phosphorus 50 ppm potassium 50 ppm nitrate 10 ppm phosphorus 0 ppm potassium -108- ' Plat* 16 • Stages In germination of cyclamen seed. Reading from left to righti first two seeds show a typioal seed before and after intake of moisture. Third and fourth seeds show the beginning of the *■ hypocotyl swelling. Pifth and aixth seeds show the complete development of the hypocotyl swelling. The seventh seed shows the beginning of the secondary root formation and the undeveloped primary root radicle. 1 ! i -109 Cotyledon Hypocotyl Rod!cle Plate 17. Excised cyclamen embryo showing the dormant radicle, hypocotyl and cotyledon. ( No hypo­ cotyl swelling is evident. -rl'JIte' wmfcr'yo* >1' oyc.tu -ion *►. fch“ *••S -■ thr £•■»■,ti a? j.i-i •rt'lng froci t2\*> tioal. H o t* b * £ lr u v tn t o r’ tAy.Jooofcyi ai.vl ]Itx?; a t nh J« early sfc«r/** 15 X 7.5 •IX.*. & • +-i 'Jt**' •**\, ■ —7 *<- v.> -ruk; i-» >-a. - V >—v*^ ,\7 V ^ > v X “- * 15X2.0 ^.Inte i:«# •.;yo • u::cn se d in two sfcuvoj of ^er^.1nur.ion<, Left: .>vol?en l.y./OCotyl co.*i;.iet^ly f->r:i»ed#. ?i»ht: Jiarlier 3t»i~e wlfcb fi.ve3J.in3 >f hy *o~ cstrl slightly evident. m' c . A. ;H.licie 7j * j w - of .res. • •r i j . w c^vtyi V*m . . .cc-d c:>*t e;m~ tw in in g , eotyi.eac;n iio t la t : vi n hb~ 0**1 -a. -1 1 2 - LITJSKATURN CITED 1. Brown, C. A., Some Relationship of Soils to Plants. Yearbook of Agriculture, pags 794-799. 1958. 2. Cook, Ray, Tentative Directions For Testing Oreen Plant Tissue With Simplex Soil Testing Reagent, Unpublished Report, Michigan State College. 1947. 3. Dakers, J. S., The Modern Greenhouse pp. 61-2. (Fourth Edition) 1948; 4. Fountain, C. A., The Effects of Various Levels of Nitro­ gen, Phosphorus, and Potassium On the Orowth of Coleus. ThesiB for the Master of science Degree, Michigan State College 1948. 5. Fuhr, John E.t Nutrition of Begonia Semperflorens. Thesis for the Degree of M. S., Michigan State College, 1947. 8. Qartner, J. B. Effects of Varying Levels of Nitrogen and Potas8lum on the Orowth of Primula oboonica Thesis for the Master of solenoe. Degree. iiohlgan State College. 1948. 7. Oressner, Helnrlok, zur Kelmungsgesohlohte von Cyclamen, Botanishe Zeitung. 52:801-814, 817-825, 851-840. 1874. — 8. Hoagland, D. li., Iiiorgunio Plant Nutrition, 174. 1944. pages 175- 9. Jaokson, H. a ., Report on the Determination of the Con­ centration of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium and Calcium that are necessary to Obtain the Best Orowth and Flower Production of the Gera­ nium Plant. Department of Horticulture, Michigan State College, 1947. 10. Laurie,' Alex and Kiplinger, D. C., Commercial Flower Forcing. (Fourth Edition) pp. 447-8, 11. Merrill, Samuel Jr. and Oreer, s. h., Three Years Results in Fertilisation of Tung Seedlings in the Nursery. Proo. Amer. Soo. Hort. soi. 47. 181-188. 1948. 1 - 113- 12* Myers, B. 3. and Anderson, D. ft. Page 427. 1939. Plant Physiology. 13. Painter, John J., Matthew, D. and Brown, Ralph T., Responses of Bearing Tung Trees on Red Boy fine Sandy H i s to Potasslnn and litrogen, Proo. Aaer. Soo. Hort. Sol. 52. 19-24. 1948. 14. Sit ton, Benjamin 0., Response of Bearing Tung Trees to Mitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium Fertilisers. Proo. Am. Soe. Hort. Soi. 52. 25-37. 1948. 15. Spurnay, C. U. Soil Testing. Michigan State College Technical Bulletin 132, 1944. Id. Shear, C. B., Crane, B. L., and Myers, A. T., Nutrient Element: A Fundamental Concept of Plant Nutri­ tion, Proceedings of the Amerloan Soolety for Horticultural Science. 47. p. 239-248. 1948. 17. Vogel,K., Biernann, C.a sehneble, K., and Dies, &'•, Zur Topfplansendnngung mit Aasnerldsllohen Voll dlngeaitteiln. Oartenbauwlssensohaft. 14. pp. 531-538. 1940. 18. Woodcock, Edward F., Seed Studies in Cyclamen persloum Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters. 17:415-419. 1933. ( . 1