Abstract
Surfactant formulations consisting of proprietary blends containing sulfonic acid ester ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block copolymer blend (ACA3204-R and ACA3204-P); sulfonic acid ester ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block copolymer blend with polyethylene glycol addition (ACA3204-2a), and ethoxylated alkylphenol (ACA160) were tested for wettability of peat-based substrates and for relative phytotoxicity. Substrate incorporation rates used in this study were 116 mL m-3 (a low recommended rate), 232 ml m-3 (a moderate recommended rate), and 464 ml m-3 (a supra-optimal rate). After a third wetting cycle, those substrates incorporated with ACA3204-R, ACA3204-P, or ACA160 at 232 ml m-3 had higher wettability ratings than the Pro-Mix HP control (Premier Horticulture Inc., Quakertown, PA). There were no differences in shoot dry weight (SDW) or visual root health rating (VRHR) among treatment groups of impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) compared to the control For pansy (Viola × wittrockiana), Pro-Mix-HP control-grown plants had higher SDW (0.8632 g shoot-1) than ACA3204-R at 464 mL·m-3 (SDW = 0.6266 g shoot-1) but SDWs for ACA3204-P, ACA3204-2a and ACA160 were similar to the control at all rates. Compared to the control, pansy VRHRs declined at 464 ml m-3 for all surfactants except for ACA160. In general, higher rates of surfactant increased mean days to 50% germination (DX; an inverse measure of germination rate) compared to distilled water control for pansy but this effect was less pronounced for impatiens. There appeared to be a stimulatory seedling effect on mean pansy root length for ACA3204-R and ACA3204-P (rates = 300-1200 ppm) and for ACA3204-2a (rates = 600-1200 ppm). In conclusion, surfactant formulations ACA3204-R, ACA3204-P, ACA3204-2a, and ACA160 were comparatively non-phytotoxic at moderate rates of substrate incorporation (mature plant growth) but laboratory seed germination was affected by low concentrations. ACA3204-R had similar wettability rating to that of ACA160 following the third wetting cycle. Further testing with additional plant species and substrates would aide in evaluating the usefulness of newer horticultural surfactants.
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Claims 15
Claim · model-written summary
ACA3204-R at 232 ml m-3 increased substrate wettability relative to Pro-Mix HP after three wetting cycles.
Verbatim
e0“After a third wetting cycle, those substrates incorporated with ACA3204-R, ACA3204-P, or ACA160 at 232 ml m-3 had higher wettability ratings than the Pro-Mix HP control”
t0“impatiens and pansy”
Claim · model-written summary
ACA3204-P at 232 ml m-3 increased substrate wettability relative to Pro-Mix HP after three wetting cycles.
Verbatim
e0“After a third wetting cycle, those substrates incorporated with ACA3204-R, ACA3204-P, or ACA160 at 232 ml m-3 had higher wettability ratings than the Pro-Mix HP control”
t0“impatiens and pansy”
Claim · model-written summary
ACA160 at 232 ml m-3 increased substrate wettability relative to Pro-Mix HP after three wetting cycles.
Verbatim
e0“After a third wetting cycle, those substrates incorporated with ACA3204-R, ACA3204-P, or ACA160 at 232 ml m-3 had higher wettability ratings than the Pro-Mix HP control”
t0“impatiens and pansy”
Claim · model-written summary
Impatiens shoot dry weight and root health ratings did not differ among treatments relative to control.
- Treatment
- treatment groupse0
- Outcome
- shoot dry weight (SDW) or visual root health rating (VRHR)e0
- Direction
- no differencese0
- Comparator
- controle0
ImpatiensOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“There were no differences in shoot dry weight (SDW) or visual root health rating (VRHR) among treatment groups of impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) compared to the control”
Claim · model-written summary
Pansy shoot dry weight was lower under ACA3204-R at 464 mL·m-3 than in Pro-Mix-HP controls.
Verbatim
e0“For pansy (Viola × wittrockiana), Pro-Mix-HP control-grown plants had higher SDW (0.8632 g shoot-1) than ACA3204-R at 464 mL·m-3 (SDW = 0.6266 g shoot-1)”
Claim · model-written summary
Pansy shoot dry weights under ACA3204-P were similar to controls at all rates.
Verbatim
e0“SDWs for ACA3204-P, ACA3204-2a and ACA160 were similar to the control at all rates”
t0“pansy”
Claim · model-written summary
Pansy shoot dry weights under ACA3204-2a were similar to controls at all rates.
Verbatim
e0“SDWs for ACA3204-P, ACA3204-2a and ACA160 were similar to the control at all rates”
t0“pansy”
Claim · model-written summary
Pansy shoot dry weights under ACA160 were similar to controls at all rates.
Verbatim
e0“SDWs for ACA3204-P, ACA3204-2a and ACA160 were similar to the control at all rates”
t0“pansy”
Claim · model-written summary
Pansy visual root health declined at 464 ml m-3 for surfactants other than ACA160.
Verbatim
e0“Compared to the control, pansy VRHRs declined at 464 ml m-3 for all surfactants except for ACA160”
Claim · model-written summary
Higher surfactant rates increased time to 50% germination in pansy compared with distilled water.
Verbatim
e0“higher rates of surfactant increased mean days to 50% germination (DX; an inverse measure of germination rate) compared to distilled water control for pansy”
Claim · model-written summary
The surfactant effect on germination timing was less pronounced in impatiens than pansy.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“this effect was less pronounced for impatiens”
t0“pansy”
Claim · model-written summary
ACA3204-R at 300-1200 ppm appeared to stimulate pansy seedling root length.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“There appeared to be a stimulatory seedling effect on mean pansy root length for ACA3204-R and ACA3204-P (rates = 300-1200 ppm)”
Claim · model-written summary
ACA3204-P at 300-1200 ppm appeared to stimulate pansy seedling root length.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“There appeared to be a stimulatory seedling effect on mean pansy root length for ACA3204-R and ACA3204-P (rates = 300-1200 ppm)”
Claim · model-written summary
ACA3204-2a at 600-1200 ppm appeared to stimulate pansy seedling root length.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“There appeared to be a stimulatory seedling effect on mean pansy root length for ACA3204-R and ACA3204-P (rates = 300-1200 ppm) and for ACA3204-2a (rates = 600-1200 ppm)”
Claim · model-written summary
ACA3204-R had a wettability rating similar to ACA160 after the third wetting cycle.
Verbatim
e0“ACA3204-R had similar wettability rating to that of ACA160 following the third wetting cycle”
t0“impatiens and pansy”