Growth and Physiological Responses of Three Culturally Significant Native Edible Berry Species to Controlled-release Fertilizer in Greenhouse Conditions
Native edible berry plants hold significant importance for Indigenous communities’ food sovereignty and cultural preservation. However, their wild populations are threatened by extreme weather conditions and invasive species, necessitating greenhouse cultivation methods to ensure their survival. Alt...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS)
2025-04-01
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| Series: | HortScience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/60/5/article-p729.xml |
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| Summary: | Native edible berry plants hold significant importance for Indigenous communities’ food sovereignty and cultural preservation. However, their wild populations are threatened by extreme weather conditions and invasive species, necessitating greenhouse cultivation methods to ensure their survival. Although controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) are widely used in horticultural production, their optimal application rates for native edible berry plants remain understudied. Although overfertilization can lead to excessive nitrogen (N) leaching, nutrient deficiency can limit plant growth. The objectives of this research were to determine the effects, in a greenhouse, of increasing CRF application rates from 0 to 0.96 g·L−1 N on the growth, morphology, and physiology of three native edible berry species: Elaeagnus commutata (silverberry), Rhus trilobata (skunkbrush), and Shepherdia argentea (silver buffaloberry). Thirty plants of each species were randomly assigned 15N–3.9P–10K CRF treatments at the following rates: 0, 0.12, 0.24, 0.48, and 0.96 g·L−1 N. These rates equated to 0%, 25%, 50%, 100%, and 200% of the manufacturer-recommended application rate. The duration of the study was 50 days, during which the plants were irrigated manually with tap water. Increasing CRF application rates from 0 to 0.24 g·L−1 N resulted in higher leachate electrical conductivity (EC) and nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) concentrations, along with increased relative plant growth index, total leaf area, and leaf dry weight across all three species. Decreased CRF rates led to reduced chlorophyll content, photosystem II efficiency, and leaf nitrogen content in E. commutata and R. trilobata but root-to-shoot ratios were higher for those rates. Physiological parameters, such as photosynthesis and stomatal conductance, showed no significant increases above 0.12 g·L−1 N CRF rate and growth parameters remained statistically similar at CRF rates exceeding 0.24 g·L−1 N. The results of this research indicate that CRF application rates lower than the manufacturer’s recommendation were sufficient to maintain growth and physiology of the three native edible berry species. Under our experimental conditions, the optimal application rate was determined to be between 0.12 and 0.24 g·L−1 N, which sustained plant growth and physiological responses while minimizing NO3-N concentrations in leachate. |
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| ISSN: | 2327-9834 |