This experiment was performed to investigate the effect of Azolla and rice straw mixed compost in peat substitution on Dieffenbachia amoena. Factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with two factors of nutrient solution in 2 levels (1- without solution, 2- with 130 mg N L-1, 32 mg P L-1 and 117 mg K L-1) and 5 levels of Azolla and rice straw mixed compost (0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 %) was done in 3 replications, with 3 plants per treatment in greenhouse conditions. Azolla and rice straw mixed compost was replaced with peat in the control. Compost was prepared from a volumetric mixture of 50 % Azolla and 50 % rice straw. Azolla and rice straw mixed compost replaced peat in the control treatment. The control bed contained 10 % perlite: 30 % vermiculite: 60 % peat (volume percentage). Growth factors including height, diameter, number of leaves, chlorophyll index, fresh leaf weight, fresh stem weight, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, leaf area, physical and chemical characteristics of growth medium and nutrients were measured. The results showed that the use of 45 % Azolla and rice straw mixed compost in replacement with peat (with formula 10 % perlite: 30 % vermiculite: 45 % Azolla and rice straw mixed compost: 15 % peat), in addition to improves the growth factors of Dieffenbachia amoena plant, reduces the consumption of peat by up to 75 %. Manuscript profile

Due to the environmental problems caused by the accumulation of significant amounts of waste from peanut cultivation, it seems necessary to provide a solution for the reuse of this organic waste. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to investigate the possibility of using compost of peanut shells in potting Begonia rex. The research was based on a randomized complete block design with five treatments, four pots per treatment, and three replications. The plants were grown in peat consisting perlite (2:1 v/v) and composts (25, 50, 75 and 100 v/v %) instead of peat in peat (P): perlite (Pe) (2:1 v/v) growth medium. The control consisted of P: Pe alone without peanut shells compost. The results showed that the application of peanut shells compost improved the growth factors of Begonia. Accordingly, the replacement of 25% of peanut shells compost had a better impact on plant growth by enhancing most growth factors including plant height (20.21 cm), number of leaves (13.13%), leaf fresh weight (48.88 g), leaf dry weight (2.01 g) and root fresh weight (2.37 g). However, 100% increase in peanut shells compost significantly reduced plant growth as compared to the control. It seems that in the treatment with 100% peanut shells compost, salinity increase (1.48%) was effective in reducing plant growth. Manuscript profile