Growing greenhouse cut flower in hydro-culture

Maintenance of Gardens at the College Faculty of Horticulture at Kecskemét College since 1988. We started our experiments by growing carnation in growing establishment without soil then we introduced other species of cut flowers and potted ornamental plants into our research work.

− 'Pink Castellaro' is of high growth, of excellent yield, with large flower and long stem − 'Candy' is of average growth, of excellent yield, with average size of flowers, with average long stem − 'Rimini' is of high growth, of good yield, with large flowers, really long stem − 'Rodolfo' is of high growth, of excellent yield, really large flowers, really long stem − 'Ondina' is of average growth, of good yield, with average size of flowers, long stem − 'Olivia' is of high growth, of excellent yield, with large flowers and long stem Each of the species in the survey is adequate for hydrocultural growing (Lévai & Turiné, 2005a,b;Lévai & Turiné, 2007).

Materials and methods
We made experiments of hydro-cultural growing of carnation with the following species: 'Danton', 'Gigi', 'Iury', 'White Castellaro', 'Pink Castellaro' and 'Candy', 'Rimini', 'Rodolfo', 'Ondina', 'Olivia'. The experiments of carnation were carried out by the French Filclair growing establishment, growing was arranged in a closed, circular system. The planting of shoots with roots was arranged by 40 pieces/m 2 at the end of May. We applied PU-sponge as the medium of plantation for the comparative experiments, the length of the growing season was one year. The experiment was carried out by repeating the procedure four times. The supply of nutritional material was made by using complex chemical fertilizer, the pH of the nourishing solution was 5,0-6,5, the conductivity was 2,5-3,5 mS and these parameters were continuously controlled. We measured the quantity of the picked flowers from the beginning of blooming each time. We chose 10-10 of the picked flowers by random choice and measured the characteristics of flower quality: the diameter of the flower and the length of the stem.
In case of rose the effect of environmental conditions on plant growth are examined.
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Evaluation The effect of the media on the height of the carnation
In case of the hydro-cultural growing of carnation both the polyurethane-ether sponge and Grodan had a good effect on the growth of the plant, both are adequate as a plantation media but the stock grown in the sponge was higher.

The effect of the media on the yield of the carnation
We managed to reach the average flower yield of 7-9 flowers per stem (Figure 1.) characteristic of the traditional chemo-cultural growing in case of hydro-cultural growing in polyurethane-ether sponge and in Grodan that is both are adequate plantation media for hydro-cultural growing.

The effect of the media on the flower diameter of the carnation
During the two growing seasons of the experiments the average diameter of the flowers planted in polyurethaneether sponge and in Grodan reached the parameters of 1 st class flowers that is 7-cm flower diameter. We did not experience significantly better results in case of the two media so both are adequate for the hydro-cultural growing of carnation.

The effect of the media on the length of the flower stem of carnation
The plantation media influenced neither the yearly nor the monthly length of the stem significantly in the years of research.
Taking the yearly average into consideration we reached the requirement of 1 st class quality that is 55-60 cm stem length in case of both media.
Considering all the above both polyurethane-ether sponge and Grodan are adequate media for hydro-cultural growing.
The fluctuation of air temperature well indicates the change of the phases of the day (Figure 2). The expansion of stem follows this cycle. It was pointed out that the higher was the daily maximum temperature the expansion of stems were more intensive. Respectively the fewer daily fluctuation made the stem expansion more stable. By the increase of daily temperature the expansion of stems are significant. The temperature of leaves increases paralell with the air temperature.
By the increase of temperature the relative humidity decreases. The temperature change of leaves follows the change of air temperature (Figure 3). According to it the relative humidity is higher in the night and lower in the day. Lévai, P. & Turi-Farkas, Zs.

Discussion
Concerning environmental protection PU sponge is more and more adequate media for growing carnation since it can be used until complete decomposition.
Both PU sponge and Grodan have got a favourable effect on the growth of the plant, the yield of the flowers and the flower quality characteristics that is why Grodan is also an adequate media for the hydro-cultural growing of carnation.
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