Using precharged zeolite as a source of potassium and phosphate in a soilless container medium during potted chrysanthemum production

Abstract

Most soilless container root media have limited ability to retain nutrients. Zeolites are minerals of substantial cation exchange capacity that can be precharged with K, and possibly PO4, and used as a component of soilless media as a slow-release nutrient source. A zeolite clinoptilolite (Cp) was charged with K and PO4 at two concentrations and combined at 20% of the mix with sphagnum peat (60%) and perlite (20%) to evaluate its use as the sole source of these nutrients during production of Dendranthema xgrandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitamura 'Sunny Mandalay'. Phosphate, K, Na, and pH were determined on unaltered bulk root medium solutions collected over the course of production, and foliar analyses were determined on tissue collected at the middle and end of the crop. All leachate was collected and analyzed to allow for the creation of K and PO4 budgets. Plants that relied on precharged Cp at the low and high rates to meet their K needs and received a N/P/-K fertilizer had similar dry mass and tissue K concentrations as the control plants that received a complete fertilizer. The use of precharged Cp at the low rate reduced K losses through leaching to 23% of the amount lost from control plants receiving water-soluble fertilizer (WSF). Plants that relied on precharged Cp for their PO4 had a lower dry mass and tissue P levels than those of the complete control treatment. However, PO4 concentrations in the root medium solution were above acceptable levels during the first month of production and should be considered when developing a fertilizer application strategy using Cp precharged with PO4.