Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) is a flowering herbaceous perennial. Little information is available about its production requirements. This project’s purpose was to determine fertilizer and PGR rates for high quality growth of Spiderwort in a greenhouse production setting. The first experiment screened three plant growth regulators (PGRs) at ascending rates on three T. virginiana cultivars. The most effective rates for height suppression were paclobutrazol at 120 mgּL-1, uniconazole at 45 mgּL-1, and flurprimidol at 45 mgּL-1. The second experiment was divided into two parts. The first screened three T. virginiana cultivars for their growth response to several nitrogen (N) rates. The second experiment used results from the first experiment and examined two cultivars response to a basic fertilizer. For experiment 1, N rates between 100 and 200 mg‧L-1 resulted in quality plant growth. The second experiment showed little difference between height, width and flowering of both cultivars with these N rates. Plant quality was similar for plants fertilized with 100 and 200 mgּL-1 N at the end of both experiments. The third study examined how fertilization rate affects the persistence of PGR growth control. PGR rates identified as effective in experiment 1 were used. Plants fertilized with 200 mgּL-1 N were taller than those fertilized with 100 mgּL-1 N, regardless of PGR treatment. PGRs did not suppress plant growth; plant quality was similar regardless of treatment. The results of these studies indicate that PGR effectiveness in suppressing plant height may be dependent upon season, with PGR application necessary only during the spring growing season. / Master of Science

Little information is available about greenhouse production requirements of <i>Phlox paniculata</i> 'Blue Boy' and <i>Rudbeckia hirta</i> 'Indian Summer', both of which are extremely susceptible to powdery mildew. Some plant growth regulators (PGRs) have been reported to reduce severity of certain plant diseases. The objectives of these experiments were to: 1) define optimal fertilizer, irrigation rates, and media types for these cultivars; 2) determine optimal PGR rates for size control; and 3) determine effects of PGRs on powdery mildew severity on inoculated plants grown under optimal greenhouse conditons. When looking at the variables height, average width, quality rating, and shoot dry weight, <i>Phlox paniculata</i> 'Blue Boy' grew best at 200 mg·L⁻¹ N in Fafard 3B medium and was not responsive to irrigation rate. Also, when looking at the same variables mentioned above, <i>Rudbeckia hirta</i> 'Indian Summer' grew best at 300 mg·L⁻¹ N in Scott's Sierra Perennial Mix at a high irrigation rate. The PGRs chlormequat chloride, daminozide/chlormequat chloride, and paclobutrazol were effective in controlling size of <i>Phlox</i>. During the first <i>Rudbeckia</i> experiment, paclobutrazol and uniconazole were effective in controlling plant size; in the second experiment daminozide, uniconazole and flurprimidol were effective. In the fall experiment, 160 mg·L⁻¹ paclobutrazol was effective in reducing disease severity in Phlox; in the spring experiment, 4000 mg·L⁻¹ chlormequat chloride and 60 mg·L⁻¹ uniconazole were effective in reducing disease severity. In the <i>Rudbeckia</i> fall experiment, 160 mg·L⁻¹ of two forms of paclobutrazol were effective in reducing disease severity; in the spring experiment, only one of those forms (Bonzi) was effective. / Master of Science

In 2011, Poa annua L. (Poa) biotypes were collected from greens of two golf courses in Lexington, Kentucky: 1.) The Lexington Country Club (LCC) and 2.) The University Club (UC). The samples were collected based on exhibiting one of two appearances while on the same green: 1.) dark green, with few to no flower heads (dark biotype) or 2.) light green, with numerous flower heads (light biotype). Two PGRs, paclobutrazol and flurprimidol, and two herbicides, bispyribac-sodium and amicarbazone, were applied to the plants both in the field and the greenhouse. Quality ratings were recorded weekly in both the field and greenhouse and grass clippings were collected and measured weekly in the greenhouse. Flurprimidol controlled the dark biotypes and paclobutrazol controlled the light biotypes in the field in 2011. However, only location by treatment interactions were in 2012; flurprimidol, bispyribac-sodium, and amicarbazone controlled the biotypes from the LCC while paclobutrazol controlled the biotypes from UC. In the greenhouse study there was a significant three way interaction between color, location, and treatment for quality. PGRs controlled the light biotypes from LCC and the dark biotypes from UC. Herbicides controlled the light biotypes more than the dark, however, the light biotypes recovered after amicarbazone treatments. PGRs reduced clipping weights of the dark biotypes more than the light and herbicides reduced clipping weights of the light biotypes more than the dark. Both PGRs and herbicides reduced clipping weights of the Poa collected from the LCC more than UC. These results demonstrate both the potential for differential responses between Poa biotypes to PGRs and herbicides and that these differences, like all things about Poa, may be complex. A laboratory experiment was also designed to examine the absorption and potential metabolism of 14C-labeled flurprimidol in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera (L.)), bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.)), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis (L.)), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne (L.)), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea (Schreb.)), and zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica (Steud.)) and light and dark Poa biotypes collected from golf greens. Flurprimidol absorption and translocation was greater for warm season grasses than cool season grasses. Only parent flurprimidol was detected in all turf species.