Role of planting density on the growth efficiency of Juniperus virginiana L. under open-air hydroponic conditions of the Ararat Valley

Kh.S. Mayrapetyan, A.S. Eghiazaryan, S.A. Eloyan and A.S. Karapetyan*

G.S. Davtyan Institute of Hydroponics Problems, NAS RA, 108 Noragyugh,
AM0082 Yerevan, Armenia
*Correspondence: astghik84k@rambler.ru

Abstract:

Juniperus virginiana (J. virginiana) is an evergreen coniferous tree, which has wide usage not only in green construction, but also in folk medicine as a source of valuable bioactive substances. The high demand for the tree forces the development of new methods for plant cultivation. Hydroponics is considered to be one of the most popular methods. As the soilless growing perspectiveness of J. virginiana in Armenia has previously been confirmed by our experiments, the optimization of growing conditions, which bests suits for the enhancement of the growth efficiency and accelerated production of viable trees remains an actual issue. Optimization of the planting density (PD) is one of them. Taking into account the above-mentioned in the frame of this study the role of PD on the growth efficiency of J․ virginiana has been studied in open-air hydroponic conditions of the Ararat Valley for the first time. The saplings of the tree were planted in volcanic red slag with three different PDs: 10, 12 and 14 plants per square meter. According to the biometrical measurements, no significant differences between the variants were observed at the end of the experimental period. In October an average height and stem diameter of the plants grown in various PDs were fluctuated between 71.7–76.5cm and 13.9–14.5mm, accordingly. Positive relationship between the plant height and stem diameter of J․ virginiana during the whole vegetation period has been observed. Our preliminary studies showed, that all the applied PDs are preferable for early years of hydroponic growing of
J․ virginiana in open-air hydroponic conditions of the Ararat Valley.

Key words:

hydroponics, J․ virginiana, plant height, planting density (PD), stem diameter

Comparison of growth of maiden trees of cultivars and genotypes of Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) in a nursery

I. Szot¹, T. Lipa¹* and A. Yareshchenko²

¹Institute of Horticultural Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Głęboka 28, PL20-612 Lublin, Poland
²Institute of Horticulture NAAS, Sadova 23, Novosilky, UA03027 Kyiv-27, Ukraine
*Correspondence: tomasz.lipa@up.lublin

Abstract:

Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) is still not a very popular fruit plant in Poland. Fruit growers have been recently increasingly interested in the cultivation of plants with fruits that can be widely used in processing. Fruits of Cornelian cherry can be eaten raw, and processed in various ways: for tinctures, juices, jams, silage, candied, etc. Both the fruits and preserves are characterised by high pro-health properties due to the content of vitamins, anthocyanins, and loganic acid. Cornus mas adapts well to the climate and soil conditions in Poland. The only limitation of its broader cultivation is lack of good planting material. The experiment investigated the efficiency of budding on two-year-old seedlings (Cornus mas L.) of several cultivars and genotypes of Cornelian cherry. Moreover, the height of plants, stem diameter, average number of shoots, number of leaves on selected shoots, and quality of roots were determined. The cornelian cherry maidens obtained by budding with dormant bud in August on two-year-old seedlings of Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) constitutes high quality material suitable for establishing commercial plantations. Maiden trees of particular cultivars and genotypes of cornelian cherry significantly differ in height, diameter, number of branches and leaves, as well as the size of the root system. The diameter of the trunk is a good indicator of the quality of Cornelian cherry maiden, because it is closely positively correlated with the height of plants and the number of shoots.

Key words: