EFFECT OF ROOTSTOCKS ON GREENHOUSE ROSE FLOWER YIELD AND LEAF NUTRIENT LEVELS

Carina’ rose was grown on seven different rootstock clones. These, combinations were tested for effect on flower production and mineral content of the leaves when grown in fumigated ground beds in an evaporatively cooled plastic greenhouse. Plants growing on R. odorata ISU 5710–2 produced the highest flower yields followed by R. fortuniana and R. manetti while R. multiflora ISU 62–5 produced the lowest number of blooms. Rootstocks caused large differences in the levels of some minerals in the leaves, R. fortuniana caused a Mn accumulation that was five times the quantity developed by R. odorata but this did not seem to be related to flower production. However, R. odorata was a superior accumulator of K and under conditions of relatively low supply R. fortuniana and R. odorata were good accumulators of N and K. These factors were related to flower yield. Copyright © 1979 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. All Rights Reserved.