2005-06 Deliverables
Task 5 Research
Principal Investigator(s): Raul Cabrera
- Continue evaluating the beneficial effects of calcium (Ca) additions to rose plants and rootstocks subjected to increasing NaCl salinity. We expect to validate whether supplemental Ca additions can enhance help sustain crop productivity and quality under high salinity stress, and hopefully generate appropriate fertilization recommendations for growers.
- Evaluate the effect of the companion ions (counter-ions) on the tolerance of plants exposed to relatively high Na-salinity (i.e. high sodicity) and high Cl-based salinity. Once again, the objective is to generate information that will allow growers to select the appropriate nutrient solutions and ratios that will help them optimize or maximize yields under elevated Na-dominated and Cl-dominated salinities.
- From these studies we expect to generate five publications (manuscripts). More importantly, several reports and presentations at local and national (Extension) grower meetings are already planned (Florida, Texas, New Jersey), as well as presentations in national and international horticulture conferences. Furthermore a graduate (PhD) student working in these projects is expected to finish her dissertation and graduate in 2006.