Environmental Factors

1
Environmental Factors

• Of
• Propagation

2
General Areas of Consideration

• Microclimatic
• Edaphic Factors
• Biotic Factors

3
Microclimatic and Edaphic Factors

• Light
• Water
• Temperature
• Gases
• MineralNutrition

4
Light

• Irradiance
• Light Quality
• Photoperiod
• Long day, Short Day, Day Neutral

5
Supplemental Lighting
6
Light Fixture
7
Water-Humidity Control

• Intermittent Misting
• Aeroponic Systems
• Hydropnic Systems
• Turgor Pressure/Turgidity in plant cells

8
Aeroponic Systems
9
Aeroponic System
10
Aeroponic System
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Intermittent Mist
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Temperature

• Air
• Soil
• Bottom Heat-provided by various techniques
• Electric cable
• Hot water
• Steam

13
Heat Mat
14
Heat Mat
15
Mineral Nutrition

• Applied mainly after rooting, root development
  and maintenance of stock plants.
• Applies to seedlings and upgraded rooted cuttings
• CO2 enrichment used in the rooting stage

16
Fertilization
17
Supplemental CO2
18
CO2 Storage
19
Propagation Structures

• Greenhouses
• Environmental Controls
• Root Zone Heating
• Appropriate Covering Materials
• Hot Frames
• Cold Frames
• Lath Structures

20
Shade Structures
21
Greenhouse Range
22
Single Greenhouse
23
Cold Frame
24
Hot Bed/Frame
25
Cold Frame
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Propagation Containers

• Flats
• Pots
• Fiber Pots
• Polyethylene Bags
• Post Propagation containers

27
Flats/Cell Trays
28
Rockwool Cubes
29
Oasis Cubes
30
Media and Mixes

• Characteristics
• Firm for support
• highly decomposed
• easily wettable
• sufficiently porous
• free of weeds, nematodes and other pathogens
• low salinity
• capable of being pasteurized

31
Components

• Mineral
• sand, perlite, vermiculite, calcined clay,
  pumice, rockwool, synthetic plastic aggregates
• Organic
• peat, sphagnum peat, shredded bark, wood
  shavings, compost

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Perlite
33
Perlite
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Vermiculite
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Rockwool
36
Peat Moss
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Peat Moss Harvest
38
Cornell Peat Lite Mixes

• Mix A 50 by volume Peat Moss, 50 Vermiculite.
  Limestone, superphosphate, calcium nitrate,
  trace elements, iron sequstrene 330, wetting
  agent.
• Mix B same as above only perlite substituted
  for vermiculite.

39
Water, Light CO2

• Water Quality
• deionization
• supplemental filters to minimize salts
• Light Manipulation-Supplemental Lighting
• CO2 Enrichment

40
Biotic Factors

• Pathogen and pest management programs
• preventative measures
• Cultivar resistance
• Scouting system
• Integrated Pest Management
• Fumigation
• Pasteurization
• Maintaining clean plant material