Effects of expanded clay (Leca) and Styrofoam as inorganic growing media substances on growth and development of Spathiphyllum wallisii

Document Type : Full Paper

Authors

1 Former M. Sc. Student, Department of Horticulture, Facutly of Agriculture, Science and Research University of Tehran, Iran

2 Professors, Department of Horticulture, University College of Agriculture & Natural Resoucrces, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Horticulture, Facutly of Agriculture, Science and Research University of Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of expanded clay (Leca) and Styrofoam on the physical characteristics of growing media and their relationship with the growth of Spathiphyllum wallisii. The experiment was laid out in a complete randomized design (CRD) with 9 treatments and 3 replications. Cocopeat and peat moss combined with different proportions of inorganic materials Leca and Styrofoam were used as conventional media for the growth control. Growing indices of plants consisting of the number of leaves, shoot length, the fresh and dry weight of shoot and fresh and dry weight of roots, and physical characteristics of the media including bulk density, particle density, total porosity, water retention and air space were determined in this work. Chemical characteristics of the media including total nitrogen, absorbed phosphorous, and absorbed potassium, organic carbon, pH, and EC were also evaluated. Our results show that growth of the plant is much better in control media containing 40% cocopeat and 60% peat moss. Moreover, Leca and Styrofoam can be used as additives in the media, but the suitable proportion Leca and Styrofoam in the growing media was 25% because an excessive amount of these substances led to a change in the physical characteristic of the media and a drop in the growth rate of Spathiphyllum wallisii. Moreover, using more than 25% of these substances made a change in the volume of pots, leading to their reduced stability and some difficulties during their irrigation and shipment to the greenhouse.

Keywords

References

  1. Bilderbarck, T. E. (1982). Physical properties of media composed of peanut hulls, Pine bark and peatmoss.and their effects on Azalea growth. Journal of the American. Society for Hortscience, 107(3), 522-525.
  2. Cervelli, C. & Farina, E. (1994). Effects of different substrates on growth of ornamentals in hydrocutture. Acta horticulturae, 361, 456-463.
  3. Chen, J. (2003). Cultural guidelines for Commercial production of interiorscape Spathiphyllum. Extension service, Retrieved June 2005 from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep161.
  4. Garcia, O., Alcantar, G. & Cabrera, R. I. (1999). Substrate evaluation for container production of Epipermunum aureum and Spathinphyllum wallisii. Terra, 249-258.
  5. Hochmuth, R. C., Davis, L. L. & Dinkins, D. (1996). Greenhouse cut flower zinnia production Florida Cooperative Extension Service, 3(48), 98-102.
  6. Karimi, V. (2003). Investigation of Composted Tea Wastes, Tree Bark and Rice Husks in order to Suitable Growing Media to Peat Substitution in Dieffenbachia nourishing. In: Proceedings of 10th greenhouse Technology Congress, pp. 15-20.
  7. Koenig, R., Wiberg, A. & Cerny-Koenig, T. (2005). Variablility in the physical and chemical properties of retail potting media. Horttechnology, 15(4), 752-757.
  8. Lemaire, F. (1989). Determination of substrate characteristics for Soilless culture. Cahiers.options Mediteranneenes, 31, 347-356.
  9. Matkin, O. A. (1999). Comparative Growth Studies Perlite vs. Polystyrene Media. Retrieved May 27, 1999 from the World Wide Web: www.perlite.org
  10. Mamba, B. & Wahome, P. K. (2010). Propagation of geranium (Perlagonium hortorum) using different rooting medium components. American-Eurasian Journal of Agricultural, Environmental Science, 7, 497-500.
  11. Stamps, R. H. & Evans, M. R. (1997). Growth of Diffenbachia maculates 'Camille' in growing media containing sphagnum peat or Coconut Coir dust. Hortscience, 32(5), 844-847.
  12. Sardoei, S. A. (2014): Evaluation chlorophyll contents assessment on Spathiphyllum wallisii Regel with plant growth regulators. International Journal of Biological Sciences, 1, 35-39.
  13. Wilkins, H. F. (1976). Alstroemeria general culture. Florists' Rev, 159(4121), 30-31ff.
Iranian Journal of Horticultural Science
Volume 48, Special Issue
October 2017
Pages 27-33

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 23 April 2016
  • Revise Date: 15 August 2016
  • Accept Date: 15 November 2016

Share

How to cite

Statistics