@Article{phyton.2024.056429,
AUTHOR = {Liangyu Luo, Ru Li, Daocheng Ma, Yijin Wang, Linghui Wang},
TITLE = {Effects of Water-Fertilizer Coupling on Growth Characteristics and Water Use Efficiency of <i>Camellia petelotii</i> Seedlings},
JOURNAL = {Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany},
VOLUME = {93},
YEAR = {2024},
NUMBER = {11},
PAGES = {2927--2947},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/phyton/v93n11/58780},
ISSN = {1851-5657},
ABSTRACT = {<i>Camellia petelotii</i> (Merr.) Sealy is an endangered Chinese native species that originates from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Previous research demonstrated that proper water and fertilizer treatments could improve the growth and quality of <i>Camellia</i> species. This study uses a three-factor, five-level quadratic rotational combination experimental design to investigate the impact of water-fertilizer coupling on plant growth characteristics and the most suitable treatment for 24-month-old grafted <i>C. petelotii</i> seedlings. The experimental design includes irrigation levels [30%, 40%, 55%, 70%, 80% of field capacity (FC)], nitrogen application (0, 2.17, 5.43, 8.70, 10.87 g·plant<sup>−1</sup>), and phosphorus application (0, 0.96, 2.40, 3.85, 4.81 g·plant<sup>−1</sup>). The results indicated that: (1) Water-nitrogen and water-phosphorus interactions significantly affected ground diameter, chlorophyll content and specific leaf weight (SLW), while water-nitrogen interactions significantly affected plant height and photosynthesis; (2) Application of nitrogen (8.70 g·plant<sup>−1</sup>) and phosphorus (3.85 g·plant<sup>−1</sup>) fertilizers under appropriate irrigation conditions (40% FC and 70% FC) improved growth. Applying fertilizers containing either nitrogen (10.87 g·plant<sup>−1</sup>) or phosphorus (4.81 g·plant<sup>−1</sup>) under adequate irrigation (55% FC) increased the Chl content. However, high nitrogen levels (10.87 g·plant<sup>−1</sup>) reduced photosynthesis. Conversely, it was enhanced under appropriate phosphorus (4.81 g·plant<sup>−1</sup>) when the irrigation level was 55% FC, indicating the sensitivity of <i>C. petelotii</i> seedlings to nitrogen fertilizer. (3) Under specific conditions of 40% FC or 70% FC irrigation and 8.70 g·plant<sup>−1</sup> or 2.17 g·plant<sup>−1</sup> nitrogen fertilizer application, 3.85 g·plant<sup>−1</sup> phosphorus addition boosted the SLW whereas, 0.96 g·plant<sup>−1</sup> phosphorus addition inhibited it. Under W = 55% FC, deficiencies in either nitrogen (N = 0 g·plant<sup>−1</sup>) or phosphorus (P = 0 g·plant<sup>−1</sup>) significantly decreased leaf growth, affecting SLW. In summary, <i>C. petelotii</i> was more sensitive to nitrogen fertilizer at W = 55% FC, and nitrogen deficiency inhibited <i>C. petelotii</i> growth in terms of ground diameter more than phosphorus deficiency. The <i>C. petelotii</i> seedlings performed best when treated with 55% FC, 5.43 g·plant<sup>−1</sup> nitrogen, 2.40 g·plant<sup>−1</sup> phosphorus per plant. These parameter estimates could optimize water and fertilizer application for <i>C. petelotii</i> seedlings.},
DOI = {10.32604/phyton.2024.056429}
}