THE EFFECTS OF WATERING FREQUENCIES AND SLOWRELEASED-FERTILIZER LEVELS ON THE GROWTH OF PLATYCERIUM CORONARIUM IN YOUNG SPOROPHYTE PHASE

Abstract

This study was conducted at the nursery of the Crop Production Department, Faculty of
Agricultural Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology, from February to August 2015. The effects
of two factors on the growth of P. coronarium ferns in the young sporophyte phase were assessed using a
factorial in CRD experiment. Factor A consisted of 3 watering frequencies: watered every day, every two
days and every three days. Factor B consisted of 4 levels of a commercial slow-released-fertilizer (SRF: 13-
13-13, 3 months): 0 g, 1 g, 2 g and 3 g per pot. It was found that the ferns which received water once every
three days possessed the highest canopy of 29.47 cm, a sterile leaf width of 14.054 cm, a fertile leaf width of
22.58 cm and a fertile leaf length of 22.20 cm. On the other hand, the fertilizer level of 2 g gave the highest
canopy of 27.31cm and a sterile leaf width of 14.63 cm, while the fertilizer level of 3 g gave the biggest
fertile leaf width of 21.54 cm and a fertile leaf length of 19.62 cm. However, no interaction between the two
factors was demonstrated.