Open Access

ARTICLE

Effects of Water-Fertilizer Coupling on Growth Characteristics and Water Use Efficiency of Camellia petelotii Seedlings

Liangyu Luo^1,#, Ru Li^1,#, Daocheng Ma¹, Yijin Wang^2,*, Linghui Wang^1,*

1 Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Cultivation of Fast-Growing Timber in Central South China, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
2 School of Architecture Engineering, Guangxi University of Nationalities, Nanning, 530006, China

* Corresponding Authors: Yijin Wang. Email: " />; Linghui Wang. Email: " />
# These authors contributed equally to this work

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Plant Secondary Metabolism and Functional Biology)

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2024, 93(11), 2927-2947. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2024.056429

Received 23 July 2024; Accepted 21 October 2024; Issue published 30 November 2024

Abstract

Camellia petelotii (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 Camellia 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 C. petelotii 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⁻¹), and phosphorus application (0, 0.96, 2.40, 3.85, 4.81 g·plant⁻¹). 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⁻¹) and phosphorus (3.85 g·plant⁻¹) fertilizers under appropriate irrigation conditions (40% FC and 70% FC) improved growth. Applying fertilizers containing either nitrogen (10.87 g·plant⁻¹) or phosphorus (4.81 g·plant⁻¹) under adequate irrigation (55% FC) increased the Chl content. However, high nitrogen levels (10.87 g·plant⁻¹) reduced photosynthesis. Conversely, it was enhanced under appropriate phosphorus (4.81 g·plant⁻¹) when the irrigation level was 55% FC, indicating the sensitivity of C. petelotii seedlings to nitrogen fertilizer. (3) Under specific conditions of 40% FC or 70% FC irrigation and 8.70 g·plant⁻¹ or 2.17 g·plant⁻¹ nitrogen fertilizer application, 3.85 g·plant⁻¹ phosphorus addition boosted the SLW whereas, 0.96 g·plant⁻¹ phosphorus addition inhibited it. Under W = 55% FC, deficiencies in either nitrogen (N = 0 g·plant⁻¹) or phosphorus (P = 0 g·plant⁻¹) significantly decreased leaf growth, affecting SLW. In summary, C. petelotii was more sensitive to nitrogen fertilizer at W = 55% FC, and nitrogen deficiency inhibited C. petelotii growth in terms of ground diameter more than phosphorus deficiency. The C. petelotii seedlings performed best when treated with 55% FC, 5.43 g·plant⁻¹ nitrogen, 2.40 g·plant⁻¹ phosphorus per plant. These parameter estimates could optimize water and fertilizer application for C. petelotii seedlings.

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