A Simple and Nondestructive Technique for Estimating the Newly Grown Roots of Potted Phalaenopsis Plants

Keng Heng Chang; Kuan Ting Chang; Ren Shih Chung; Chun Tang Lu; Ting Fang Hsieh

doi:10.21273/HORTSCI.48.3.318

A Simple and Nondestructive Technique for Estimating the Newly Grown Roots of Potted Phalaenopsis Plants

Journal

HortScience

Journal Volume

48

Journal Issue

3

Pages

318-321

Date Issued

2013-03

Date

2013-03

Author(s)

Keng Heng Chang

Kuan Ting Chang

Ren Shih Chung

Chun Tang Lu

Ting Fang Hsieh

DOI

10.21273/HORTSCI.48.3.318

URI

https://scholars.tari.gov.tw/handle/123456789/14704

https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/48/3/article-p318.xml

Abstract

A simple and nondestructive technique, based on the line intersect principle, was developed for estimating simultaneously more traits of the newly grown roots of potted Phalaenopsis plants. Two kinds of root distribution counting pot (RDCP) were used in the present study, namely, RDCP with a large drawing grid (RDCPL) and RDCP with a small drawing grid (RDCPS). Fifty Phalaenopsis plants were randomly sampled during the cultivation period of two to eight months after transplantation for each kind of pots. The grid number of the newly grown roots of each plant was determined by both RDCPS and RDCPL, followed by measurement of other traits such as number, fresh weight, dry weight, and length of the roots. Data were subjected to regression analyses for the selection of predictive equations. The results revealed that the grid number determined by RDCPS correlated better with the traits of the newly grown roots of potted Phalaenopsis [coefficients of determination R-2 = 0.71 to 0.90; low mean squared error (MSE)] than the grid number obtained with RDCPL (R-2 = 0.66 to 0.83; high MSE). Without tedious and time-consuming measurements, the four linear equations obtained with RDCPS can be a simple and nondestructive estimation for predicting the number, fresh weight, dry weight, and length of the developing roots of Phalaenopsis plants grown in pots. Another 48 Phalaenopsis plants were randomly sampled during the cultivation period of two to eight months after transplantation for the validation of selected predictive equations. The accuracy of the predictive equations of the traits of newly grown roots obtained with RDCPS was different in the following order: length > dry weight > fresh weight > number.

Subjects

root measurement

regression analysis

counting pot

Publisher

American Society for Horticultural Science

Type

journal article

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