Nutrient disorders of Dianthus ‘Bouquet Purple’

ABSTRACT

‘Bouquet Purple’ pinks (Dianthus sp.) were grown in silica-sand culture to induce and photograph symptoms of nutritional disorders. Plants received a complete modified Hoagland's all-nitrate (NO₃) solution. Nutrient-deficient treatments were induced with a complete nutrient formula minus one of the nutrients, and a boron (B)-toxicity treatment was induced by increasing B 10-fold in the complete nutrient formula. Plants were monitored daily to document sequential series of symptoms as they developed. Typical symptomology of nutrient disorders and corresponding tissue concentrations were determined. All treatments exhibited deficiency symptomology. Disorders for nitrogen (N), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), and sulfur (S) were the first to manifest in pinks. Unique symptomology was observed for plants grown under potassium- (K), B-, copper- (Cu), and molybdenum- (Mo) deficient conditions, which supported the need for a species-specific approach when characterizing nutrient disorders of floriculture crops.

KEYWORDS:

• Pinks
• Dianthus
• deficiency
• macronutrients
• micronutrients
• toxicity
• fertilizer
• symptoms

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Doug Sturtz, Russ Friedrich, and Alycia Pittenger for nutrient analysis.

Funding

We are grateful for the funding support provided by USDA-ARS and the Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative.