Use of Palm Waste Cellulose as a Substitute for Common Growing Media in Aglaonema Growing
Subject Areas : Journal of Ornamental Plants
M.
Basirat
1
(Member scientific staff, Soil fertility and plant nutrition section,
Soil and water research Institute,
Karaj,
Iran)
Keywords: compost, Peat, Potting Media, palm, substrate, Waste Cellulose,
Abstract :
In order to evaluate the possibility use of palm waste cellulose as a substitute substrate for growing pot plants, an experiment was conducted in completely randomized block design with 6 replication and six treatments on Aglaonema sp. The treatments were 5 levels including 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 palm celluloid wastes mixed with different rates of some amendments such as peat, coconut coir, perlite, vermiculite, rice husk and sugarcane waste compost. The trial was conducted in a research greenhouse at certain environmental condition during 14 month. Before experiment, the chemical and physical properties of organic substrates were measured. To determine superior media the vegetative indexes were measured and data statistically analyzed. Results showed that the palm celluloid wastes had significant impact on the growth and total dry weight of plants that grown in mixing media in comparison with peat and peat- perlite potting media. Also peat and coir had not significant differences in most growth indices but palm celluloid wastes had greater increase in plant dry weight if it used as a 50-50 v/v percent mixing amendment in all treatments. Data indicated that palm celluloid wastes can be used as a media individually, and also as an amendment for other media such as sugarcane compost.
