Effects of Different Substrates on Growth and Physiological Characteristics of Tea Seedlings under Temporary Planting

Qiao Mingming; Zhang Lixia; Hou Jian; Xiang Qinzeng; Tian Yueyue; Fan Yangen

doi:10.14083/j.issn.1001-4942.2017.04.007

Abstract：One-year-old cutting seedlings of tea cultivar Jinxuan and three different substrates named A1 (sand∶soil=1∶2), A2 (sand∶soil=1∶1) and A3 (sand∶plant ash∶vermiculite =1∶1∶1) were used as materials in the temporary planting experiment.By comparing the physicochemical characters of the three substrates and determining the root architecture, root activity, length of new shoots, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and survival rate before transplanting, some results were obtained as follows.(1) A3 had the lowest bulk density and EC value, the largest total porosity and water retaining porosity, the highest contents of organic matter, available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and better warming and warmth retaining effects.A1 achieved better effect on buffering temperature change as its diurnal temperature range was the least.(2) Compared to A1 and A2, the new root of A3 generated earlier, and the activity, length, surface area, volume and numbers of root were significantly higher under temporary planting.(3) The chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (Fv/Fo, Fv/Fm, ΦPSⅡ and qP) of tea seedlings in A3 treatment were higher than those in A1 and A2, but the difference between A3 and A2 was not significant.(4) The survival rate of tea seedlings under temporary planting in the three substrates were all above 95%, and that of A3 was the highest as 98.7%.(5) The correlation analysis showed that the total length of new roots and the length of young shoots had significantly negative correlation with the bulk density of substrate, but significantly positively correlated with the contents of organic matter and available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.Therefore, the substrate with lower bulk density and higher contents of organic matter and nutrient elements was more suitable for temporary planting.In this paper, A3 was the best for the temporary planting of Jinxuan tea seedlings.