19
Crops in this Family: Boston Fern
Below is a tissue nutrient sufficiency table for the Fern Family (broadly encompassing common ferns like those in Polypodiaceae, e.g., Polypodium spp., or Dryopteridaceae, e.g., Dryopteris spp.), focusing on general fern physiology. Specific nutrient sufficiency data for ferns are sparse compared to seed plants, as ferns are less studied agriculturally, and most research focuses on ecological or physiological responses rather than detailed nutrient tables. This table is a generalized synthesis informed by plant science principles, limited fern studies (e.g., nutrient uptake in Pteridium aquilinum), and broader horticultural data for non-seed plants, adjusted for ferns’ unique traits like spore-based reproduction and shade-tolerant, often slow-growing fronds.
Growth stages are defined as:
- Sporophyte Emergence (new frond unfolding)
- Vegetative Growth (frond expansion)
- Reproductive (spore production
- Senescence (frond maturation/decline)
- Residue
Nutrient concentrations are in percentages (%) for macronutrients and parts per million (ppm) for micronutrients, with leaf water content (LWC) as a percentage of fresh weight and Brix (°Bx) as soluble solids in frond sap.
| Growth Stage |
N (%) |
P (%) |
K (%) |
Mg (%) |
Ca (%) |
S (%) |
||||||
|
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
|
|
Sporophyte |
1.50 |
2.50 |
0.10 |
0.30 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.20 |
0.50 |
0.50 |
1.50 |
0.10 |
0.30 |
|
Vegetative |
1.80 |
2.80 |
0.10 |
0.30 |
1.20 |
2.20 |
0.20 |
0.50 |
0.70 |
1.70 |
0.10 |
0.30 |
|
Reproductive |
1.50 |
2.50 |
0.08 |
0.25 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.20 |
0.50 |
0.70 |
1.70 |
0.10 |
0.30 |
|
Senescence |
1.20 |
2.20 |
0.08 |
0.25 |
0.80 |
1.80 |
0.20 |
0.50 |
0.50 |
1.50 |
0.10 |
0.30 |
|
Residue |
1.00 |
2.00 |
0.08 |
0.25 |
0.80 |
1.80 |
0.20 |
0.40 |
0.50 |
1.50 |
0.10 |
0.20 |
|
B (ppm) |
Zn (ppm) |
Mn (ppm) |
Fe (ppm) |
Cu (ppm) |
Mo (ppm) |
|||||||
|
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
|
|
Sporophyte |
15 |
40 |
15 |
50 |
20 |
100 |
50 |
150 |
5 |
15 |
0.10 |
1.00 |
|
Vegetative |
20 |
50 |
15 |
50 |
20 |
100 |
50 |
150 |
5 |
15 |
0.10 |
1.00 |
|
Reproductive |
25 |
60 |
15 |
50 |
20 |
100 |
50 |
150 |
5 |
15 |
0.10 |
1.00 |
|
Senescence |
15 |
40 |
15 |
50 |
20 |
100 |
50 |
150 |
5 |
15 |
0.10 |
1.00 |
|
Residue |
10 |
35 |
10 |
40 |
15 |
90 |
40 |
120 |
4 |
10 |
0.10 |
1.00 |
|
LWC |
BRIX |
|||||||||||
|
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
|||||||||
|
Sporophyte |
85 |
90 |
6 |
10 |
||||||||
|
Vegetative |
80 |
85 |
8 |
12 |
||||||||
|
Reproductive |
78 |
83 |
10 |
14 |
||||||||
|
Senescence |
75 |
80 |
6 |
10 |
||||||||
|
Residue |
70 |
75 |
5 |
9 |
||||||||
Scanning Recommendation:
- Ensure that over 25% of the scan bed is covered with a single layer of vegetation.
- Nutrient and LWC data are from fully expanded fronds (e.g., mid-season for vegetative stage) or young croziers for emergence.
