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Effect of Watering Frequencies On The Growth and Survival of Petunia Axillaris in A Controlled Environment
Effect of Watering Frequencies On The Growth and Survival of Petunia Axillaris in A Controlled Environment
Research Article
Effect of Watering Frequencies on the Growth and Survival
of Petunia Axillaris in a Controlled Environment
*1Chinedu Felix Amuji, 2Salvador Hernández Navarro
1Department
of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nigeria, 410001 Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
2Departmentof Agricultural and Forestry Engineering, Higher Technical School of Agricultural Engineering, La Yutera
Campus, Madrid Avenue 44, 34071 Palencia, Spain
Petunia axillaris is a very important economically cherished plant because of its ability to produce
beautiful fragrant flowers that come in different colours, which invariably gives an aesthetic value.
However, it is important to deepen the understanding for possible culture improvement. This
study examined the effect of three watering frequencies on the growth and survival of Petunia
from juveniles. The treatments consist of low water application (once in a week), normal
application (twice per week) and high-water application (thrice per week). The following data were
collected from the seedlings; plant height, number of flowers, number of dead plants. Also,
destructive sampling was carried out to assess length and width of leaf, root depth, as well as
number of leaves and number of dead leaves. Statistical analysis was performed with R-studio
software. Growth and survival rate performances were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by watering
frequencies. The multivariate analyses of principal component (PCA), showed that, all growth
parameters except the number of dead leaves were correlated positively to each other. The results
indicated that high flexibility of the species to be cultured with minimum requirements of water
supply equating to reduction in production costs.
INTRODUCTION
Petunia axillaris is an annual plant in the family lower revenue or a longer growing period even in a nursery
Solanaceae. The plants are grown solely for their aesthetic setting (Jones and Tardieu, 1998). The irrigation of farms
value. In other words, they are ornamental plants grown has made it possible for crops to be grown in the deserts,
for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design greenhouses and other normal natural unsuitable
projects, as household plants, for cut flowers and conditions.
specimen display (Cantor et al., 2015). The aesthetic
features displayed by the plant includes; the stem, bark Physiological responses of plants are frequently used as
and most importantly the flowers which occur in different accurate indicators of plant water stress (Bhattacharjee
colours depending on the species gene. It has been and Saha, 2014), which usually involve tissue size
reported that Petunias can tolerate relatively harsh measurements as an indicator. These are done using
conditions and hot climates (Brown and Moncada, 2018). appropriate equipment and the variability due to growth
Water is one of the most important factors that affects the compared. Assessment of petunia plant growth to
biological make up of plant growth and health; it is determine the actual quantity of water required to save and
essential for many plant processes like photosynthesis, minimise labour cost, was done in this work. This attempt
nutrient transport, and cell expansion and development
(McElrone et al., 2013). Irrigated agriculture is the leading *Corresponding Author: Chinedu Felix Amuji,
use of water by humanity (Shortle and Griffin, 2001). Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture,
Generally, plants response to water stress in different University of Nigeria, 410001 Nsukka, Enugu State,
ways ranging from adaptive changes and/or deleterious Nigeria. Email: felix.amuji@unn.edu.ng; Tel: +234 803
effects (Chaves et al., 2002). For ornamental plants, they 757 9415; Co-Author 2Email: inpaisal@iaf.uva.es; Tel:
may become smaller and look less appealing resulting in +34 979 108350; Fax: +34 979 108440
Effect of Watering Frequencies on the Growth and Survival of Petunia Axillaris in a Controlled Environment
Amuji and Navarro 087
to study the effects of different watering frequencies on this Destructive sampling after the fifth week of treatments
valuable plant’s (Petunia axillaris) seedling growth in the application were carried out for assessment of the
nursery will provide the much-desired practical information following: length of leaf (cm), width of leaf (cm), root depth
for accurate culture practice. This information will (cm) and shoot height (cm), as well as number of leaves
invariably assist the farmers and growers to be able to and number of dead leaves.
maximize the benefits inherent in the processes involved
given a similar condition. Therefore, this research was Statistical Analyses
formulated with the specific objective of determining the
best watering frequency (irrigation) for petunia plant Collected data were expressed as mean. Analysis of
seedling raised in the nursery at juvenile stage from variance (ANOVA) was used to determine differences
sowing date to first six weeks of growth. among the watering frequencies, using R-Studio version
3.6.1 scientific graphing data analysis software (R, 2019).
The differences were considered to be significant at 0.05
MATERIALS AND METHODS (P < 0.05). Tukey multiple comparison test was used to
determine the level of significant among the treatment
Location means. The multivariate analyses of principal component
(PCA) was also performed among all the variables
The plants were grown at the greenhouse (Plant measured.
Environment Laboratory) of Higher Technical School of
Agricultural Engineering, University of Valladolid, Palencia
campus, Spain (420251N, 40301W). The greenhouse was RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
maintained at constant temperature and humidity
throughout the period of the experiment. Potted media There was a significant (p < 0.05) effect due to the watering
containers with great surface for optimal stability during frequencies on the number of dead leaves produced by the
cultivation and transportation were used. The media was plants. Petunia plants with the lowest watering application
‘Sustrato 28®’; a plant season substrate produced by treatments (1x) had the highest number of dead leaves.
Pindstrup-Mosebrug SAE. E-09140 Sotopalacios, Burgos, This showed that lesser the frequency of water application
Spain. It was supplied in bags of 100 litres with the on Petunia plants in nursery the more the leaves die off.
following composition: 70% peat 5-20 mm, 30% black peat Significant (p < 0.05) differences were observed among
0-10 mm, approximately pH 6.0 (aqueous solution), the treatments on number of leaves produced by the
wetting agent, an aqueous detergent which facilitates the Petunia plants. Plants with thrice per week water
absorption of water, microelements and a compound of applications (3x) had the highest number of leaves. The
nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium enough for the first twice per week (2x) and once a week (1x) treated plants
20-30 days. The container was ‘Maceta Termoformada had similar number of leaves (Figure 1).
Desch 10.5cm L Baja®’ produced by Projar Grupo
Inspiring Green Technology, Spain
The following parameters were measured from all the Figure 1: The effects of the different watering frequencies
seedlings in the nursery and compared among the on some measured parameters of the petunia plants.
treatments: plant height (at the third and fifth weeks),
number of flowers (at the third and fifth weeks), percentage The observations on the width and length of the Petunia
mortality for the plants (at the fifth week). plant leaf measured suggest that; 3x treated plants had the
Effect of Watering Frequencies on the Growth and Survival of Petunia Axillaris in a Controlled Environment
Int. J. Hort. Sci. Ornam. Plants 088
Effect of Watering Frequencies on the Growth and Survival of Petunia Axillaris in a Controlled Environment
Amuji and Navarro 089
1.0
0.8
0.6
root height
number of leaves
Principal Component 2
0.4
0.2
-0.4
-0.6
number of dead leaves
-0.8
-1.0
-1.0 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
Principal Component 1
Figure 4: Percentage mortality of the petunia Figure 5: Principal component analysis chart of parameters
plants at different watering frequencies. measured.
Petunia axillaris plants during their A flower of the Petunia axillaris plant
vegetative
Petunia growthplants
axillaris stageduring their A flower of the Petunia axillaris plant
vegetative
Figure growth
6: Petunia stageplants as used in the experiment.
axillaris
Effect of Watering Frequencies on the Growth and Survival of Petunia Axillaris in a Controlled Environment
Int. J. Hort. Sci. Ornam. Plants 090
Further research is required to investigate this irrigation Franco, J.A. 2011. Root development under drought
frequency effect on petunia plants in the nursery for a stress. Technology of Knowledge Transfer e-Bulletin; 2
longer period of time and possible with genetically different (6): 1-3. Universidad Politecnica de Cartagena, Spain.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Effect of irrigation frequency on rose flower production
and quality. Biosystems engineering, 93(2), 237-244.
This study was supported by Erasmus Mundus Dream Klock-Moore, K. A., Broschat, T. K. 2001. Irrigation
Project scholarship at University of Valladolid, Palencia systems and fertilizer affect petunia growth.
Campus, Spain as part of master’s degree project work in HortTechnology, 11(3), 416-418.
Advanced technologies for agroforestry development. King, D. A. 1998. Influence of leaf size on tree architecture:
first branch height and crown dimensions in tropical rain
forest trees. Trees, 12(7), 438-445.
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Effect of Watering Frequencies on the Growth and Survival of Petunia Axillaris in a Controlled Environment