Assessment of Partial Peat Substitutes for the Production of Camellia japonica
2009
Larcher, Federica | Scariot, Valentina
Peat is widely used for container plant production. As a result of its high costs, decreasing availability, and environmental concerns, alternative substrates for potting ornamentals are needed. In the present study, five peat substitute materials (local green compost, pumice, coconut fibers, coconut "peat," and pine bark) were evaluated to assess their suitability for containerized acidophilus ornamental plant production. Camellia was chosen as the indicator crop and, to verify the influence of genotype on cultivation response, three different cultivars were used. The main physical, chemical, and biological properties of the substrates were determined before and at the end of the culture and were in general within the acceptable ranges. Except for the negative effect of green compost, during the cultivation period (2 years), the alternative materials did not affect or slightly improved the plant development and the ornamental characteristics compared with the standard substrate. Among the materials tested, considering both technical and economical factors, coconut fibers were a good partial peat substitute for potted camellia production.
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