ASPECTS REGARDING CULTIVATION OF FESTUCA GLAUCA IN THE PEDO CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF N E AREA OF ROMANIA
ASPECTE PRIVIND CULTIVAREA SPECIEI FESTUCA GLAUCA ÎN CONDIłIILE PEDOCLIMATICE DIN N E ROMÂNIEI
CHELARIU Elena-Liliana1 e mail: [email protected]
Abstract. In the current paper are presented the experimental results regarding cultivation of Festuca glauca Vill. as ornamental grass, in the pedo climatic conditions of Ia i County, Romania. Were made researches regarding producing of planting material from seeds, using different substrates (V1 – garden soil, V2 – peat, V3 – 1 part garden soil + 2 parts peat, V4 jiffy pots) and regarding the behaviour in cropping of the obtained biological material. The best results regarding seedlings production were obtained at variant V3, and in crop at variant V3, followed by V1 and V2. Key words : ornamental grasses, Festuca glauca Vill., planting material, Ia i
Rezumat. În această lucrare sunt prezentate rezultatele experimentale privind cultivarea speciei Festuca glauca Vill. ca iarbă ornamentală, în condiŃiile pedoclimatice din judeŃul Ia i, România. S au făcut cercetări privind producerea materialului săditor din seminŃe, utilizând diferite substraturi (V1 pământ de grădină, V2 turbă, V3 – 1 parte pământ de grădină + 2 părŃi turbă, V4 jiffy pots) i comportarea în cultură a materialului biologic obŃinut. Rezultatele cele mai bune privind producerea răsadurilor s au obŃinut la varianta V3, iar în cultură la varianta V3, urmată de V1 i V2. Cuvinte cheie: ierburi decorative, Festuca glauca Vill., material săditor, Ia i
INTRODUCTION Order Poales have a single family, respectively Poaceae which have 700 900 sorts with 10000 12000 herbaceous species, annual and perennial, spread from arctic and alpine areas till the ones with tropical climate. In Romania could be found 86 sorts and around 300 species (Sîrbu and Paraschiv, 2005 ). Those species are used as fodder plants and also for lawns (Vîntu, 2004 ). At world level various species belonging to this botanic family are cultivated for ornamental purposes and are known under the generic name of ornamental grasses (Ardle, 2007; Dana, 2002 ). The assortment of decorative grasses is much diversified; species could be cultivated in different areas of rusticity. The N E area of Romania is placed in the 5 th area of rusticity (minimum t0 = 29... 23 0C) and based on this criteria was selected for study specie Festuca glauca Vill. which could be cultivated from 3 rd (4 th ) area up th th to 8 (9 ) rusticity area (Ardle, 2007; Chelariu and Draghia, 2011).
1 University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Ia i, Romania
255 Specie Festuca glauca Vill. belongs to Festuca L. gender, subfamily Festucoideae Link, family Poaceae (R.Br.). It is perennial specie with origin in Central Europe, with a compact bush, dense, height of 25 50 cm and a diameter of 50 75 cm. Leave are linear, thin, with a fine texture and a green blue colour. Flowers are green mauve, grouped in panicles. It blooms in May July. Prefer sunny or semi shadows fields, well drained soils and a reduced humidity. It tolerates draught periods and air pollution. Specie didn’t withstand humidity excess (Ardle, 2007; Chelariu, 2011, Chelariu and Draghia, 2011). Gramineous species could multiply through seeds, vegetative way and by micro propagation (Cunliffe et al., 2002; Shimomae et al., 2010 ). The current paper tries to highlight some aspects regarding seedlings obtaining and cultivation of specie Festuca glauca Vill. as ornamental grass in the pedo climatic conditions of Ia i County, Romania.
MATERIAL AND METHOD Research took place in the didactic collection of Floriculture discipline from USAMV Ia i, during July 2011 May 2012. Studied material was represented by specie Festuca glauca Vill. (fig. 1a). To establish the experiences were used seeds (fig. 1b.) gathered from Botanic Garden of Barcelona, Spain. Seed material was obtained through the courtesy of Mr. Dr. Samuel Pyke. Sowing was realised on 4 th of July 2011, in four types of substrate (table 1), and establishment of field crops was done on 24 th of September 2011. Determinations and realised measurements have as goal seeds’ germination percentage, plants’ growing rhythm and plants’ height. The obtained results at our four variants were compared and statistic interpreted, to highlight the most suitable substrate for obtaining the seedling material. Table 1 Experimental design Biologic Specie Variant Substrate for sowing material V1 garden soil V2 peat Festuca glauca Vill. seeds V3 garden soil + peat (1:2) V4 jiffy pots
a) Mother plant (original photo) b) Seeds (original photo)
Fig. 1 Festuca glauca Vill.
256 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS In figure 2 are graphical presented the results regarding seed germination. Percentage of germinated seeds varied between 20% and 85%, maximum values being recorded at variant V3 (1 part garden soil + 2 parts peat), and the minimum ones at V4 (jiffy pots pills). At variants V1 (garden soil) and V2 (peat) were recorded intermediate values, 70% respectively 60%. We observed that between variants appeared differences regarding the time of plants’ emergence. So at variants V1, V2 and V3 emergence started after ten days from sowing while at variant V4 after 20 days (fig. 3). For a complete emergence the necessary time calculated from sowing was of 42 days at variants V1, V2 and V3, respectively 32 days at variant V4 (fig. 3).
% 100 Variants 90 85 80 70 70 60 60 50 40 30 20 20 10 0 V1 V2 V3 V4
Fig. 2 Germination percentage (%)
V4 20 32
V3 10 42
V2 10 42
V1 10 42
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
no. days
time period till emergence starts time period till emergence ends
Fig. 3 Time period for emergence start and complete emergence (no. of days from sowing)
The seedlings which were planted in field have a height between 11.8 cm at V4 and 18.3 cm at V3 and a well formed foliar apparatus (fig.4.), average number of leave per plant varying between 8 and 21 (table 2). Also the average number of roots
257 was of 4.1 (at V4) up to 8.2 (at V2), and the average length of roots was between 9.1 cm (at V4) and 17.5 cm (at V3) (table 2). Table 2 Morphological features of the seedlings plated in experimental field Average number Average length Average height Nr . leave Variant of roots/plant of roots (cm) of plant (cm) per plant V1 7.8 17.4 17.8 18 V2 8.2 16.3 17.2 20 V3 8.0 17.5 18.3 21 V4 4.1 9.1 11.8 8
20 cm 18 17,818,3 17,2 16,6 16 15,415,1 14 13,8 12,912,6 12 11,8 10,811,3 10 9,9 10,1 8,7 8,8 8 8,38,1 6,8 7,1 6 6,26 6 4,75 4 4,4 4,3 3,2 3,6 2 2,52,12 0
1 1 1 1 01 .201 201 7 8.2011 8.2 8. 9.2011 .0 0 .0 .0 .08.201 0 0 14 24.07.2011 03. 1 24 31 10.09.2011 24.
Fig. 4 Dynamics of seedlings’ growing at Festuca glauca Vill.
Data regarding seedlings’ height (recorded at the last observations in September) were statistically processed. From statistic point of view, difference between variant V1 (control) and variant V3 is very positive significant, fact which show that the substrate formed by 1 part garden soil and 2 parts peat is recommended for obtaining quality seedlings at specie Festuca glauca (table 3) . Table 3 Results of plant growth Average height of % face to Variant Differences Signification plant control V1 17.8 100.00 0.00 control V2 17.2 96.63 0.60 00 V3 18.3 102.81 0.50 xx V4 11.8 66.29 6.00 000 LSD 5% = 0.2 cm, LSD 1% = 0.3 cm, LSD 0.1% = 0.5 cm
In experimental field seedlings were planted on 24 th of September 2011 (fig. 5). Average height of plants at the observations made in field at 31 st of October 2011 was of 23.4 cm at V3, 23.1 cm at V1, 22.9 cm at V2 and 18.2 cm at V4. In spring Festuca glauca started in vegetation at the end of March 2012, in a percentage of 98%, which enlightened that, could be cultivated as a perennial plant in the pedo climatic conditions of Ia i County, Romania.
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V1a V1b
V2a V2b
V3a V3b
V4a V4b Fig. 5 Seedlings at 24 th of September 2012; a – with soil bowl; b – without soil bowl (original photos)
Festuca glauca Vill. (fig. 6) decorates through leave and port from early spring till the beginning of winter, and through flowers in May July. It could be used in borders, rocks, ornamental pots.
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Fig. 6 Festuca glauca Vill. (Spring 2012) (original photos)
CONCLUSIONS 1. Festuca glauca Vill. is a specie which is cultivated as a perennial ornamental plant in the conditions of 3rd – 9th rusticity areas and can be easily multiply. 2. Substrate formed by 1 part garden soil and 2 parts peat lead to a higher germination percentage (85%) and to obtain seedlings with suitable morphological features (average number of 8 roots/plant, roots’ average length of 17.5 cm, plant height of 18.3 cm and 21 leave/plant). 3. Festuca glauca started in vegetation at the end of March 2012, in a percentage of 98%, which enlightened the fact that could be cultivated as a perennial plant in the pedo climatic conditions of Ia i County, Romania.
Acknowledgments . This work was co funded from the European Social Fund through Sectorial Operational Programme Human Resources Development 2007 2013, project number POSDRU/I.89/1.5/S62371 ,,Postdoctoral School in Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine area ”.
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