ANALYSIS OF ROOT ZONE ENVIRONMENT IN POT PLANT PRODUCTION SYSTEM WITH SUBIRRIGATION METHOD USING WICK

The objectives of this study were to investigate the water absorption characteristics of pot substrates as affected by the wick surface treatment and the wick length exposed to ambient, and to analyze the growth of kalanchoe. The water amount absorbed into the substrate in vinyl-covered wick treatment was higher than in the control. The water loss by evaporation from the wick in the control was increased much more than from the vinyl-covered wick over time. As the wick area exposed to ambient increased, the difference of water losses between two methods became greater. During a rooting stage, the growth of roots was showed a higher rooting rate in vinyl-covered wick treatment with 2-cm wick length. At a flowering stage, the flowering in vinyl-covered wick treatment with 6-cm wick length were 7~10 days faster with a better plant growth than in the control.