Review: Improving nitrogen use efficiency of potted chrysanthemum: Strategies and benefits

Abstract

Floricultural greenhouse operations can pose significant environmental risk due to the leaching and runoff of nutrients such as NO-3: To face this challenge, Ontario growers have adopted recirculating systems, such as the subirrigated "ebb and flow" system, on benches, troughs and concrete floors. Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) is the most commonly grown floricultural greenhouse crop species in the world and the potted type is well adapted to subirrigation. Reduction of N fertilization towards the end of the crop cycle is generally recommended to improve the shelf life of cut and potted plants, but it is uncertain how this practice influences the N status of the plant and the electrical conductivity of the growing medium. In this review, we discuss N use efficiency and strategies for managing the NO-3 status of plants, and then propose that this knowledge can help to improve the N use efficiency of potted chrysanthemum grown with subirrigation under greenhouse conditions.