Effects of Various Nitrate: Ammonium Ratios on Sweetpotato Growth

A study was initiated in the greenhouse to examine the effects of five \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(\mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+}:\mathrm{NO}_{3}^{-}\) \end{document} ratios on sweetpotato growth. Plants were grown from vine cuttings of 15-cm length, planted in 0.15 x 0.15 x 1.2-m growth channels using a closed nutrient film technique system. Nutrient was supplied in a modified half-strength Hoagland's solution with a 1:2:4 N:K ratio. \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(\mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+}:\mathrm{NO}_{3}^{-}\) \end{document} ratios investigated were 100:0, 0:100, 40:60, 60:40, and a control that consisted of a modified half-Hoagland solution with an N:K ratio of 1:2:4 and an \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(\mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+}:\mathrm{NO}_{3}^{-}\) \end{document} of 1:7. Treatments were initiated 30 days after planting (DAP). Sequential plant harvest began 30 DAP and continued at 30-day intervals until final harvest at 150 DAP. Results showed a linear increase in fresh storage root fresh weight until 90 DAP for all treatments. However, from 60 DAP until the end of the growing season, plants grown in a 100% \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(\mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+}\) \end{document} solution consistently produced significantly less storage roots than in all other treatments. While all other treatments showed a decrease in storage root fresh weight after 90 DAP, plants grown in 100% \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(\mathrm{NO}_{3}^{-}\) \end{document} and the control solution continued to increase linearly in storage root production. Storage root dry weight throughout the growing season followed similar trends to that of storage root fresh weight. Data suggest that a nutrient solution containing NO–3as its sole nitrogen source may be adequate for sweetpotato growth. This would make it possible for utilizing a one-way pH control method for nutrient solution.