Reading Water, Media Reading Water, Media and Tissue Tests and Tissue Tests

Bodie V. PennisiExtension Floriculture Specialist, UGA

What Do You Do If Your Pansies Look Like These?

• Nutritional ?Nutritional ?

• Which nutrient(s) ?Which nutrient(s) ?

• Deficiency or toxicity ?Deficiency or toxicity ?

• Cause(s) ?Cause(s) ?

Investigate:Investigate:

Macronutrient-Related

Problems

N Def: lower leaf yellowing (courtesy of Dr. Whipker, NCSU)

N Def: Lower leaf yellowing and loss(courtesy of Dr. Whipker, NCSU)

P Def: Lower leaf purpling(courtesy of Dr. Whipker, NCSU)

N Overdose: Upper leaf roll(courtesy of Dr. Whipker, NCSU)

High Nutrient High Nutrient Concentration in Concentration in

the Medium the Medium Causes Marginal Causes Marginal

Leaf BurnLeaf Burn

Water leaves the leaves via stomates, but the trace elements cannot escape. The effect is most pronounced at leaf margins where air movement causes the greatest

evaporation.

Micronutrient-Related

Problems

Mg Def: Lower Mg Def: Lower leaves with leaves with interveinal interveinal chlorosischlorosis

Problems

Mg Def: Lower leaves with interveinal chlorosisMg Def: Lower leaves with interveinal chlorosis(courtesy of Dr. Whipker, NCSU)

Fe Def: Upper Fe Def: Upper leaves with leaves with interveinal interveinal chlorosischlorosis

It Is All About the pH…

At high pH the micronutrients (Fe, Mn, B, Zn, Cu)

become less available.At low pH, they

become too available.

• lime incorporatedlime incorporated

• water alkalinity and pHwater alkalinity and pH

• type of fertilizer used (basic or type of fertilizer used (basic or acidic)acidic)

• species grownspecies grown

Media pH is affected by:Media pH is affected by:

• Geranium GroupGeranium Group• Plants that are very efficient in taking up FePlants that are very efficient in taking up Fe• Ex: seed and zonal geraniums, marygolds, Ex: seed and zonal geraniums, marygolds,

New Guinea impatiens, lisianthusNew Guinea impatiens, lisianthus

Crops Can Be Placed Into GroupsCrops Can Be Placed Into Groups

• Petunia GroupPetunia Group• Plants that are very inefficient in taking up Plants that are very inefficient in taking up

FeFe

• Ex: petunias, pansies, snapdragons, Ex: petunias, pansies, snapdragons, calibrachoa, vincacalibrachoa, vinca

Low pH

Geranium with chlorotic lower leaves which quickly turn necrotic

(courtesy of Dr. Whipker, NCSU)

Lower leaves of pepper with black speckles

(courtesy of Dr. Whipker, NCSU)

Lower leaves of marigold with yellow speckles

(courtesy of Dr. Whipker, NCSU)

Lower leaves of cosmos with black speckles

(courtesy of Dr. Whipker, NCSU)

High pH

Upper leaves with interveinal chlorosis

(courtesy of Dr. Whipker, NCSU)

Upper leaves with interveinal chlorosis

(courtesy of Dr. Whipker, NCSU)

Upper leaves with interveinal chlorosis

(courtesy of Dr. Whipker, NCSU)

The Goal Is To Achieve A Stable

Medium pH Over Time

The Goal Is To Achieve A Stable

Medium pH Over Time

Basic TestsBasic Tests Concentration of the Concentration of the

fertilizer solutionfertilizer solution

pH and soluble salts in pH and soluble salts in the growing mediumthe growing medium

Leaf tissue analysisLeaf tissue analysis

Water QualityWater Quality

Testing the growing Testing the growing mediummedium

EC (SS) and pH of the leachateEC (SS) and pH of the leachate

In-house tests can be done with the pour-In-house tests can be done with the pour-through methodthrough method

Sending samples to a lab: Sending samples to a lab: do notdo not use the top use the top 11//22 to 1 inch of the soilto 1 inch of the soil

NONO33---N, NH-N, NH44

++-N, P, K, Ca, Mg-N, P, K, Ca, Mg

0 to 0.30 to 0.3

0.3 to 0.80.3 to 0.8

0.8 to 1.30.8 to 1.3

1.3 to 1.81.3 to 1.8

1.8 to 2.31.8 to 2.3

> 2.3> 2.3

1:21:2 SMESME PourThruPourThru IndicationIndication

0 to 0.80 to 0.8

0.8 to 2.00.8 to 2.0

2.0 to 3.52.0 to 3.5

3.5 to 5.03.5 to 5.0

5.0 to 6.05.0 to 6.0

> 6.0> 6.0

0 to 1.00 to 1.0

1.0 to 2.61.0 to 2.6

2.6 to 4.62.6 to 4.6

4.6 to 6.54.6 to 6.5

6.6 to 7.86.6 to 7.8

> 7.8> 7.8

Very LowVery Low

LowLow

NormalNormal

HighHigh

Very HighVery High

ExtremeExtreme

Different Methods to Measure ECDifferent Methods to Measure EC

Marigold Marigold problemproblem

Marigold problemMarigold problem

Tissue analysisTissue analysis Marigold problemMarigold problem

Sending tissue samples for Sending tissue samples for analysisanalysis

For routine analysis: young, but full-grown For routine analysis: young, but full-grown leaves near the top of the canopyleaves near the top of the canopy Rinse the leaves gently if fertilizer was applied Rinse the leaves gently if fertilizer was applied

with an overhead irrigation systemwith an overhead irrigation system

B, Ca, Fe, Mn, Zn (not readily translocated B, Ca, Fe, Mn, Zn (not readily translocated within the plant)within the plant) Younger leavesYounger leaves

ChrysanthemumsChrysanthemums

Upper leaves – N, Ca, S, Fe, BUpper leaves – N, Ca, S, Fe, B

Lower leaves – K, Mg, ZnLower leaves – K, Mg, Zn

Upper or lower leaves – P, MnUpper or lower leaves – P, Mn

Middle leaves – Cu Middle leaves – Cu

Routine analysis – most recent fully mature Routine analysis – most recent fully mature leafleaf

Tissue AnalysisTissue Analysis

Concentrations of Concentrations of macro- and macro- and micronutrientsmicronutrients

These analyses may These analyses may or may not include or may not include recommendations, recommendations, depending on the labdepending on the lab

Testing The Waters…

Testing The Waters…

Water Quality KitWater Quality KitWater Quality KitWater Quality Kit

Analytical Analytical LabLab

1.1. Need test for alkalinityNeed test for alkalinity2.2. Need Need Fluorine (F) and/or Chlorine Fluorine (F) and/or Chlorine

(Cl) if high levels are suspected.(Cl) if high levels are suspected.

Summary of Basic TestsSummary of Basic Tests

Fertilizer solutionFertilizer solution

Greenhouse mediumGreenhouse medium

Plant tissuePlant tissue

WaterWater