EFFECT OF SELECTED PREPARATIONS ON SOME BIOMETRIC FEATURES OF ‘TARDIVA’ PANICLED HYDRANGEA (Hydrangea paniculata Siebold) DEPENDING ON THE IRRIGATION FREQUENCY

Abstract

One of the ways to reduce the water consumption by plants while maintaining their proper quality is to use substances that limit excessive transpiration. Three preparations at following concentrations: Moisturin (10%), Root-Zone (4.5%) and Vapor Gard (1%), were used in the experiment. Moisturin and Vapor Gard were applied in the form of a single spray, and Root-Zone as a single irrigation in mid July.The aim of the research was to assess the effect of several anti-transpirants on some biometric features of the ‘Tardiva’ panicled hydrangea depending on the frequency of irrigation. The following parameters were measured: area, perimeter, width and length of leaf blade, length and width of inflorescences, and the diameter of shoots. Treatment of H. paniculata cv. ‘Tardiva’ with Root-Zone and Moisturin anti-transpirants with a single irrigation every other day allows to reduce the water consumption and obtain shrubs of a quality comparable with plants irrigated twice a day. The use of Moisturin with a twice daily irrigation positively affected the length and width of inflorescences.