Volume 22(4), 98- 101, 2018 JOURNAL of Horticulture, Forestry and Biotechnology www.journal-hfb.usab-tm.ro

The behaviour of some upon different fertilizers and substrates

Szilagyi Claudia1*, Băla Maria1 ,Toța Cristina1

1Banat’s University of Agricultural Science and Veterinary Medicine “Regele Mihai I al României” from Timisoara, Faculty of Horticulture and Forestry

*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]

Abstract In Romania in general the rustic bulbous species are not used Key words sufficiently in decorating green areas, despite the fact that all such species may be elements of spring-summer flower compositions, together with the Crocus, , flower, green biennale species and to some perennial hemicryptophytes [2,7,8,11]. Small space, spring decoration species in the Crocus type are looking good in the landscape, but are needed in large quantities and several combinations in order to create an attractive space [9], and therefore, the study followed which of the Crocus species are suitable for several types of substrate and offer a large number of flowers.

Such species need different temperature the flowering occurs approximately two week before conditions during the annual biological cycle: the rest the . The leaves in number of 5-7, are time, during the summer, at high temperatures of 20- narrow (2-4mm width and 5-7 cm length) with a white 23 ° C; for rooting low temperatures, 4-8 ° C; for median stripe; height 7-10 cm [3,1213]. intense vegetative growing and flowering, winter or Crocus tommasinianus ”Ruby Giant”, or the spring, moderate temperatures, 10-18 ° C, depending Forest Crocus [5], early saffron, [4] or Tommasini’s on the phenophase (Stursa J., 1997, Anton D., Nicu C., crocus, often named 'tommies', have been by the 2006, Șelaru E. 2007, Toma F. , 2009) [2,7,8,11]. botanist Muzio G. Spirito de Tommasini (1794-1879). Such species have a higher potential for making Species native in Bulgaria, Hungary, Albania and the green roofs, as they can survive under dry and hot former Yugoslavia [15]. It is one of the smallest summer conditions in vegetative rest. Despite all this, cultivated species. The flowers of approximately 2-4 there have been little research on the geophytes on cm length, have the white tube perianth, pale lilac green roofs [12]. colour to purple red, with darker stains on the tops of Crocus (), is a rustic bulbous species, the petals [3,13]. largely used in the decor of green spaces, in patches, Crocus vernus “Jeanne d’Arc” (Spring Crocus, Huge ground floors, brims, stains, by hotchpotch forced crop Crocus) is a species originating in the Alps, the for decorating apartments [3]. Pyrenees and from the Balkans .[16]. The leaves are The Crocus type presently includes 140 species narrow and can reach up to 20-25 cm length and grow and , with as geophytes organs simultaneously with the flower peduncles. White [13,14], longitudinally extended from the Iberian flower, with three antennas and a long, tubular stigma Peninsula up to China, longitudinally from Poland up at its base [13]. to the Caucasians and the north part of the Arabic Peninsula. Most of the species are found in the Balkans Materials and Methods and Turkey [10]. It is easily to be cultivated in average soils, The study was carried out at the Didactic average humidity, well drained, in the hot sun, up to Premises of the USAMVB under warm glasshouse partial shadow. It develops in sandy or rocky, humic- conditions and in open land in two different places, sandy soils, but it has a weak development in hard clay Buziaș and Timișoara, following the number of flowers soils. They are adapted to almost all soils, but would on each and every planted bulb. rather sit in sandy soils, slightly acid (pH = 6.5-6.7) In the glasshouse, the biologic material was well drained, and reacts well to organic fertilizers, likes planted individually in square hotchpotches (7*7*8cm), sunny and half-shadowed places [1,2,13]. in two types of substrate: garden soil + sand + perlite, (Herbert) Herbert , snow which is universal flower substrate. crocus, golden flower [6], is a native species from the The corms were planted in Timisoara in a Balkans and Turkey [17], with yellow-orange flowers, landscape arrangement of rockery, with northern smaller than the Crocus vernus two on each peduncle, exhibition, in a substrate consisting of gravel + sand. striated at the outside. Its common name, "snow crocus", comes from its very early flowering period,

98 The planting was carried out in Buziaș on a During the biologic cycle have been sunny land, soil with high humidity during January – through high temperature periods in fall, moderate March, on soles with the size of 4*1 m, in rows of temperatures during winter and high during the spring corms planted 10 cm one from the other and 10cm followed by the fall of the temperature and abundant between the rows. precipitations in the flowering period. The data were processed by using variance analysis.

Results

Table 1 Data on the number of flowers in 2018 at the species of Crocus cultivated in the space protected in garden soil+ perlite + sand Relative Substrate R1 R2 R3 Average value Witness difference Significance % Crocus vernus 2 2 1 0 “Jeanne d’Arc” 1.66 65.27 -0.88 Crocus chrysanthus 6 5 5 *** 5.33 208.87 2.78 Crocus tommasinianus ”Ruby 1 0 1 00 Giant” 0.66 26.10 -1.88 Witness 3 2.33 2.33 2.55 100 - - DL5%= 0.86 DL1%= 1.3 DL0,1%=2.09

As compared to the average of the experience the tommasinianus ”Ruby Giant”, significantly positive at results recorded were significantly positive at Crocus Crocus vernus“Jeanne d’Arc”. chrysanthus, distinctly significantly negative to Crocus

Table 2 Data on the number of flowers in 2018 at the species of Crocus cultivate in the protected area in the universal substrate of flowers Relative Substrate R1 R2 R3 Average value Witness difference Significance % Crocus vernus 1 2 2 - “Jeanne d’Arc” 1.66 107.29 0.11 Crocus chrysanthus 3 2 3 * 2.66 171.67 1.11 Crocus tommasinianus ”Ruby 0 0 1 0 Giant” 0.33 21.45 -1.22 Witness 1.33 1.33 2 1.55 100 - - DL5%= 0.86 DL1%= 1.3 DL0,1%=2.09

For Crocus vernus “Jeanne d’Arc” we have not positive, and Crocus tommasinianus ”Ruby Giant” has recorded results as related to the average experience, at registered significantly negative results. Crocus chrysanthus the results were significantly

99 Table 3 Data on the number of flowers in 2018 at the species of Crocus which were cultivated in a rockery in gravel+sand Relative Substrate R1 R2 R3 Average value Witness difference Significance % Crocus vernus 2 2 3 - “Jeanne d’Arc” 2.33 95.62 -0.10 Crocus chrysanthus 4 5 4 ** 4.33 177.59 1.89 Crocus tommasinianus ”Ruby 1 0 1 00 Giant” 0.66 27.32 -1.77 Witness 2.33 2.33 2.66 2.44 100 - - DL5%= 1.08 DL1%= 1.64 DL0,1%=2.64

Crocus chrysanthus recorded distinctly positive Crocus tommasinianus ”Ruby Giant” recorded results, Crocus vernus “Jeanne d’Arc” recorded no distinctly significant negative results. results as compared to the average experience, and

Table 4 Data on the number of flowers in 2018 at the species of Crocus cultivated in the garden Relative Substrate R1 R2 R3 Average value Witness difference Significance % Crocus vernus 2 2 1 - “Jeanne d’Arc” 1.66 62.57 -0.99 Crocus chrysanthus 6 5 4 ** 5 187.73 2.33 Crocus tommasinianus ”Ruby 1 1 2 0 Giant”, 1.33 50.06 -1.33 Witness 3 2.66 2.33 2.66 100 - - DL5%= 1.33 DL1%= 2.01 DL0,1%=3.24

As related to the number of flowers at the in Crocus tommasinianus ”Ruby Giant” and no studied species, they are distinctly significantly significant results were recorded in Crocus vernus positive in Crocus chrysanthus, significantly negative “Jeanne d’Arc” as compared to the average experience.

100 A B C Fig.1 Crocus chrysanthus: A) Garden substrate B) gravel+sand C) garden soil+sand+gravel Photo: personal archive Conclusions development, Journal of Experimental , Volume After the researches carried out at the species Crocus, 60, Issue 7, Pages 2203–2213 with referral to the number of flowers, the following 8.Manda M., Nicu C. , 2011Climatic effects on the conclusions were drawn: the best behaviour was phenology of some geophytes rustic species, Scientific noticed at the species Crocus chrysanthus recording Papers. Series B. Horticulture 2011 No.55 pp.220-224 vary significantly positive differences and distinctly 9.Miller C.T, Griffin J.J., Miller W.B.,2016, Effects of significant positive to the average experience, the planting depth and mulching on perennialization on weakest values were recorded at Crocus vernus several small geophyte species, ISHS Acta “Jeanne d’Arc” and Crocus tommasinianus ”Ruby Horticulturae 1171: XII International Symposium on Giant”. We recommend for use in the open areas and Flower Bulbs and Herbaceous Perennials private gardens the species Crocus chrysanthus. 10.Moldovan Iulia Adriana, Băla Maria, 2016, Research Results Regarding the Growth of Crocus Bibliography chrysanthus”Ard Schenk” in Organic Aquaponics, Journal of Horticulture, Forestry and 1.Ardelean A.,Mohan Ghe.,2011, Enciclopedia Biotechnology.Volume 20(2), p.7 plantelor decorative (Encyclopaedia of Decorative 11.Molina R.V., Valero M., Navarro Y., Guardiola J.L., Plants), vol.2, ALL Printing House, Bucharest, p.281- Garcia-Luis A., 2005, Temperature effects on flower 289 formation in saffron (Crocus sativus L.) Scientia 2.Badri MA, Minchin PEH, Lapointe L., 2007, Effects Horticulturae,Volume 103, Issue 3, p. 361-379 of temperature on the growth of spring ephemerals: 12.Nagasea A., Dunnettb N., 2013, Performance of Crocus vernus, An International Journal for geophytes on extensive green roofs in the United Biology, vol.130, Issue 1,p.67-76 Kingdom, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening Volume 3.Băla Maria, 2012, Floricultură generală și specială 12, Issue 4, 2013, Pages 509-521 (General and Special Floriculture), Partoș Printing 12.RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United House, Timișoara p.246 Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136 4."BSBI List 2007". Botanical Society of Britain and 13.Șelaru Elena, 2007, Cultura florilor de grădină (The Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-01- Crop of Garden Flowers), Ceres Printing House, 25. Retrieved 2014-10-17. Bucharest, p.331 5.Crocus tommasinianus". Natural Resources 14.Vaczy C., Dicționar botanic polyglot (Polyglot Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Botanical Dictionary), 1980, Stiințifică și Retrieved 17 January 2016. Enciclopedică Printing House, Bucharest, p. 6.Harrison Lorraine, 2012, RHS Latin for gardeners. 15.http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinde United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. p. 224 r/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a429 7.Lundmar Maria, Hurry V. ,Lapointe L., 2009,Low 16.http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinde temperature maximizes growth of Crocus vernus (L.) r/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d503 Hill via changes in carbon partitioning and corm 17.wcsp.science.kew.org

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